Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Gurley & Calderwood Lady in Dress Utica NY
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Wm. A. Morthorst Cute Baby Rochester NY
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Schaefer Boy In Suit Rochester NY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MOUTAIN TOWN CHURCH BAD AUSSEE AUSTRIA DACHSTEIN ALPS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD TRAIL IN SMALL TOWN BAD AUSSEE AUSTRIA DACHSTEIN ALPS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD RURAL RIVER SCENERY BAD AUSSEE AUSTRIA DACHSTEIN ALPS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD RURAL RIVER SCENE BAD AUSSEE AUSTRIA DACHSTEIN ALPS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD RURAL HOUSES BAD AUSSEE AUSTRIA DACHSTEIN ALPS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SMALL TRAIL TOWN BAD AUSSEE AUSTRIA DACHSTEIN ALPS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LADY IN FIELD BAD AUSSEE AUSTRIA DACHSTEIN ALPS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD TRAIN RAILROAD NEAR BAD AUSSEE AUSTRIA DACHSTEIN ALPS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD RURAL HOUSE LAND BAD AUSSEE AUSTRIA DACHSTEIN ALPS
1890s CABINET CARD PEOPLE ON HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE BAD AUSSEE AUSTRIA DACHSTEIN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD RURAL FARM LAND BAD AUSSEE AUSTRIA DACHSTEIN ALPS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD RAILROAD TRAIN NEAR BAD AUSSEE AUSTRIA DACHSTEIN ALPS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MOUTAIN VILLAGE TOWN BAD AUSSEE AUSTRIA DACHSTEIN ALPS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LARGE MANSION IN BAD AUSSEE AUSTRIA DACHSTEIN ALPS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD VILLAGE MOUTAIN TOWN BAD AUSSEE AUSTRIA DACHSTEIN ALPS
C. 1890s CABINET CARD GOLDENES DACHL FIRE-GILDED COPPER TILES INNSBRUCK AUSTRIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD PROPYLAEA CITY GATE KONIGSPLATZ SQUARE MUNICH GERMANY
CABINET CARD PROTESTANT MOUNTAIN TOWN DACHSTEIN ALPS SCHLADMING AUSTRIA
CABINET CARD SCHLADMING AUSTRIA MOUNTAIN TOWN PROTESTANT CHURCH DACHSTEIN ALPS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FOREST MOUNTAIN VIEW SCHLADMING AUSTRIA DACHSTEIN ALPS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FOREST MOUNTAIN SIDE SCHLADMING AUSTRIA DACHSTEIN ALPS
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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