Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Parry Husband and Wife Guthrie Center
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Ed. Peterson Handsome Man with Hat Gladstone MI
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s L.W. Cook Gorgeous Lady In Dress Salem Massachusetts
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Eller Gorgeous Lady In Dress Washington IL
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Wm. G. Hussey Gorgeous Lady In Dress Salem MA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s H.F. Alley Lady In Collar Beverly MA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Weigel Lady In Dress Dyersville Iowa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J.D. Strunk Cute Child in Dress Reading PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Lenney Man with Mustache In Suit Newport PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Oscar Sommer Gorgeous Lady In Dress New York
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s L.V. Newell Gorgeous Lady In Dress Portsmouth NH
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Lee Bros Cute Baby In Dress Minneapolis
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Elvin E. Schartel Handsome Man In Suit Lebanon PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s E.M. White Old Lady In Dress Keene NH
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Lindenmuth Handsome Man In Suit Allentown PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Bowman Old Man with Mustache Williamsport PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Ström Lady In Dress Berlin Germany
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J.H. Lloyd Handsome Man With Mustache NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s C.W. Hearn Gorgeous Lady Fancy Dress Portland ME
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s F.W. Shackford Cute Child In Suit Farmington NH
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Corell Young Lady In Dress Titusville PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A.G. Roberts Handsome Man In Suit Henderson KY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Meynen & Co. Handsome Young Man In Suit Philadelphia
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s D. Lothrop Cute Baby In Gown Philadelphia PA
Cabinet cards are larger albumen photographs mounted on thicker, often decorated card stock. First offered in London in 1863 and reaching American studios by 1866, they were dominant from the 1880s through the early 1900s — the ‘Golden Age’ of the cabinet card runs roughly 1870 to 1895 — and continued in declining numbers into the 1920s.
HistoryOrigin & era
Cabinet cards offered the same albumen process as CDVs but at a size more flattering to detailed studio work. By the 1880s mounts grew elaborate — gold edges, embossed studio logos, chromolithographed backs. The format faded sharply after Eastman Kodak's 1900 Brownie put cameras in everyone's hands; few cabinet cards date after 1906, and the last were produced in the early 1920s.
IdentificationHow to spot a Cabinet Card
- Mount roughly 4¼ × 6½ inches.
- Heavier card stock than a CDV, often with rounded corners and gold or beveled edges.
- Photographer's imprint usually on the front below the photo, with elaborate logos on the back.
- Plain pale mounts are earlier (1870s); dark green, black, and gilt mounts are 1880s–1890s.
Cabinet Card sizes
Standard cabinet cards are remarkably consistent, but several larger "deluxe" formats were sold by the same studios.
| Format | Inches | Millimeters | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard cabinet card | 4¼ × 6½ in | 108 × 165 mm | Universal mount size. |
| Cabinet print on mount | ≈ 3¾ × 5½ in | ≈ 95 × 140 mm | Photo trimmed to fit with a narrow border. |
| Promenade | 4 × 7 in | 102 × 178 mm | Taller variant, popular 1875–1900. |
| Boudoir | 5¼ × 8½ in | 133 × 216 mm | Larger format for full-length portraits. |
| Imperial | 6⅞ × 9⅞ in | 175 × 251 mm | Largest of the cabinet-family mounts. |
| Panel | 4 × 8 in | 102 × 203 mm | Narrow, full-length portrait format. |
Common questions
What is a cabinet card?
A cabinet card is a Victorian-era portrait photograph — an albumen print mounted on a heavy card roughly 4¼ × 6½ inches. First offered in London in 1863 and arriving in American studios by 1866, cabinet cards were the standard portrait format from about 1880 through the early 1900s and continued in declining numbers into the 1920s.
How do I date a cabinet card?
Mount color and decoration are the best clues: pale buff or cream stock with a simple imprint is 1870s; dark gray or maroon with gold edges is mid-1880s; deep green, black, or chocolate brown with ornate gilt lettering is 1890s. Beveled edges with gold appear around 1885.
What are cabinet cards worth?
Generic studio portraits typically run $5–$20. Cards depicting identified subjects, occupational scenes, ethnographic subjects, post-mortem photography, or well-known photographers can range from $50 to several hundred dollars. Condition, sharpness of the print, and subject interest matter more than age.
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