Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unmarked Old Man in Suit Wearing Hat
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J.F. Ryder Handsome Man Cleveland OH
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Shepard Young Lady In Dress Providence RI
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s W.E. Service Old Lady in Dress Boston MA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s G. Caldwell Old Lady In Dress Nottingham
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s C.H. Wareham Cute Girl Fort Scott KS
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Man with Mustache In Suit Unmarked
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Fritz Leyde Husband and Wife Berlin
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Myhre Gorgeous Lady In Dress Luverne MN
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Geo Kraft Handsome Man St. Paul MN
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s W. Herbert Bridle Handsome Man Phila PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Snyder & Walton Handsome Man PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Alvord Handsome Man with Mustache Oregon
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hutchings Handsome Man in Suit Unmarked
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890 Sweetser Lady & Child Lynn MA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A. Gambell Lady In Coat Aurora Indiana
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Polke Young Lady in Dress Mansfield OH
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Van Sickle Cute Baby South Bend IN
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J.O. Booth Handsome Man Sioux City IA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Ryder Cute Baby in Dress Richmond IN
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Oneal Cute Baby in Dress St. John KS
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hennigar Bros Cute Baby Middletown CT
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Willis Cute Child Middletown CT
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Miller Young Lady Striped Dress CT
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.
Have Cabinet Cards to sell?
We buy cabinet card singly or by the lot. Send a few photos and we'll have an offer back in 24–48 hours.
Get an offer →