Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Lindenmuth Man with Mustache Allentown PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Chas. Cherney Lady In Dress Kewaunee WI
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J.M. Elliott Handsome Man Columbus Ohio
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A. Boutilier Gorgeous Lady Fancy Dress
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hennigar Bros Handsome Man Middletown CT
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Theo S. Marceau Handsome Man Middletown CT
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Fredricks Gorgeous Lady In Dress New York
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Kiefer Old Lady In Dress Portsmouth OH
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s C.A. Monroe Bearded Man Jamestown NY
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Unmarked Handsome Man In Suit
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s S. Klughertz Handsome Man Columbia PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Shadle & Busser Lady In Dress York PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s W.M. Wires Cute Child Lynn MA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Kuhn Two Girls Fancy Dresses Stillwater MN
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Glendron Cute Baby Boston MA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s P. Royale Lady In Dress Portsmouth NH
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Garvin Cute Child Pottsville PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Dean Handsome Man With Mustache PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s L.M. Stoops Handsome Man In Suit Perry Iowa
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Van Houten Handsome Man in Suit Brooklyn NY
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Young Lady In Dress Unmarked
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Harry Baby in Dress Columbia PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Child Gorgeous Lady In Dress Grinnell IA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s D.H. Smith Cute Boy 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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