Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s F. Ulrich Young Girl In Coat New York
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Bartholomew Gorgeous Lady Unmarked
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Brand Young Handsome Man Chicago IL
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Coerver Handsome Man In Suit Staunton IL
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Handsome Man In Suit Unmarked
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Termaat Cute Baby In Dress Oshkosh WI
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Paxton Cute Boy In Suit Astoria OR
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s D.M. Smith Gorgeous Lady Fancy Dress Ohio
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Cute Child in Dress Unmarked
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Morrison Handsome Man w/ Mustache OH
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Ashman Cute Baby In Dress Unmarked
1888 CABINET CARD FAMILY TRADITIONAL ROBES KATSUURA MOUNT OMINE YOSHINO JAPAN
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD CUTE GIRL READING BOOK McDONALD SOUTH BEND INDIANA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD G.B. MOORE ROMANTIC COUPLE HUSBNAD & WIFE ROCHESTER IND
C. 1890s CABINET CARD SUNBEAM HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE GRAND ISLAND NEBRASKA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BARLEY YOUNG LADY IN DRESS HOLDING PURSE COLUMBIA PA.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD WM. PHIPPS HANDSOME MAN WEARING HAT WASHINGTON D.C.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BYAM HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE ELLENDALE NORTH DAKOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FAMILY SITTING OUTSIDE NEXT TO LARGE TREE UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FAMILY OUTING LADIES FANCY HATS NATURE UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LOMSTOCK THREE HANDSOME MEN KEPI WAVERLY NEW YORK
CIRCA 1879s CABINET CARD PREACHER HOLDING THE BIBLE HAND RAISED CHRISTIAN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ALDERIGER CATHOLIC PRIEST REVEREND NEW BRITAIN CONN.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BRETZ OLD MAN WITH CANE READING NEWSPAPER POTTSVILLE 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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