Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD "FLOATING HEAD" TRICK ILLUSION PHOTOGRAPHY YOUNG LADY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CUTE LITTLE GIRL IN WHITE DRESS BELOIT WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD HOFFMANN GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS CHICAGO ILL
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD ATKINS GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS CHICAGO ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS ATKINS CHICAGO ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD THREE YOUNG CHILDREN IN FANCY CLOTHING UNMARKED
C. 1880s CABINET CARD FAUGHT CUTE YOUNG GIRL IN WHITE DRESS LEXINGTON KENTUCKY
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD SIMONS CUTE YOUNG GIRL IN DRESS SALT LAKE CITY UTAH
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD JOHNSON "LANDING OF COLUMBUS" ORNATE CUMBERLAND IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FATHER AND MOTHER WITH BABY LOVELY FAMILY UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CUTE YOUNG BABY IN WHITE DRESS SITTING IN ORNATE CHAIR
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD HUSBAND & WIFE ROMANTIC COUPLE UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LARGE GROUP OUTING OF YOUNG ADULTS IN FANCY CLOTHING
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD H.J. NEWCOMB GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD TWO CUTE YOUNG GIRLS IN FANCY DRESSES NAMED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LINE HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT CARLISLE PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HARTSHORN CUTE YOUNG BABY IN WHITE DRESS DAYTON OHIO
C. 1890s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY WITH TWO HANDSOME YOUNG MEN UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD TWO HANDSOME YOUNG MEN IN SUITS DETAIELD UNMARKED
C. 1870s BIJOU CABINET CARD HUSBAND & WIFE ROMANTIC COUPLE READING PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GARHART HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT PHILLIPSBURG N.J.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD & TINTYPE OF OLD LADY WEARING GLASSES COHOCTON NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD A.W. HOWES SMALL SCHOOL HOUSE ASHFIELD MASSACHUSETTS
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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