Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hartley Gorgeous Lady In Dress Chicago IL
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Michigan Cute Baby In Dress Unmarked
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Williams Family Wellington Ohio
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. Oswald Cute Child Dress Rockville CT
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unmarked Handsome Man with Mustache
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hazelton Lady In Dress Salem MA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Atwood Two Boys Fancy Outfits
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s G.C. Parker Family Cheltenham UK
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Husband and Wife Romantic Couple Unmarked
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Chesley Bros Lady and Child Pipestone MN
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Old Lady Fancy Dress Unmarked
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A. Appelquest Cute Baby Middletown Conn
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Gillmore Lady In Dress Rockville CT
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Wotten Lady In Dress Unmarked
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Handsome Man with Mustache In Suit
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s T.V.M. Havee Gorgeous Lady New Canaan CT
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Appelquest Gorgeous Lady Fancy Dress CT
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s N. Newell Handsome Man in Suit Rockville MI
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Newell Lady In Dress Rockville CT
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s S. Ericsson Handsome Man Middletown CT
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Curtis Young Lady In Dress Lewiston ME
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s L.C. Fowler Handsome Man Lancaster PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Lease Handsome Young Man In Suit Lancaster PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Bellin & Murphy Gorgeous Lady Brooklyn NY
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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