Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s G. Fritz Husband and Wife McMinnville OR
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Larson Handsome Man with Mustache Minneapolis MN
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Kinsey Husband and Wife In Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Holmes Bros Man with Mustache Charlestown MA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Henshel Man with Mustache In Suit Geneva MN
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Man with Mustache in Suit Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s City Young Handsome Man In Suit Philadelphia
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Gregory Gorgeous Lady In Dress Sacramento CA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s A. Brutonff Young Lady In Dress York PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Shadle & Busser Handsome Man with Mustache York PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Horton Old Man in Suit Providence RI
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Hoesten Handsome Man with Mustache Portland OR
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Melander Handsome Man with Mustache Chicago
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Bearded Man In Suit Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Kemp's Bearded Man In Suit Unknown
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Shaw Bearded Man In Suit San Francisco CA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s E.E. Bool Gorgeous Lady In Checkered Scarf
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Cherrington Husband and Wife Salem Oregon
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Gillmore & McIntyre Old Man With Mustache Putnam CT
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s R.W. Young Handsome Man with Mustache Mattoon
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Smith Young Man In Suit Constantine MI
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s F.J. Buckmyer Handsome Man with Mustache Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s J. Mac Mahon Handsome Bearded Man Aberdeen
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Fuller Handsome Man with Mustache San Francisco
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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