Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s W.F. Gorrill Lady Fancy Dress Grand Valley
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s N. Hassan Gorgeous Lady In Dress Glencoe MN
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Gorgeous Lady Fancy Dress Unmarked
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. Duncan Husband and Wife Unmarked
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Genelli Lady In Dress St. Louis MO
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A.M. Melander Family Chicago IL
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s C.S. Dunshee Gorgeous Lady Philadelphia PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hurst Cute Child Fancy Dress Philly
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A.K.P. Trask Cute Baby Fancy Dress Philly PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Broadbent & Phillips Cute Baby Philadelphia
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Kauffman Romantic Couple York PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Larson Lady In Dress Minneapolis
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A.C. Schilling Gorgeous Lady Tracy Minnesota
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Stensby Cute Boy Fancy Duluth Minnesota
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Sattler Gorgeous Lady St Paul MN
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s V.A. Bedard Family St. Paul MN
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Geo. Kraft Gorgeous Lady St. Paul MN
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Miller Young Lady Fancy Dress St. Paul MN
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s L.D. Moses Young Lady Tracy MN
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Handsome Man in Suit Unmarked
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Handsome Man Mustache Germany
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s G.H. Hobbs Family Man w/ Mustache Unmarked
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Robertson Bros Husband Wife Pontiac IL
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Wilke Handsome Man in Suit Chicago IL
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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