Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BOURNE HUSBAND AND WIFE ROMANTIC COUPLE CLARION IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DUNHAM MOTHER, FATHER & KID FAMILY BELMOND IOWA
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD THOS. PIGEON TWO CUTE BROTHER AND SISTER BELMOND IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BOURNE CUTE BABY IN WHITE DRESS CLARION IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BOURNE GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS CLARION IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ELDER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS FOREST CITY IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BOURNE HUSBAND & WIFE ROMANTIC COUPLE CLARION IOWA
C. 1880s CABINET CARD OBERHOLTZER HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE WEBSTER CITY IOWA
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD THOS. PIGEON GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS BELMOND IOWA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD REED ROMANTIC COUPLE HUSBAND & WIFE BELMOND IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BOURNE GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY ORNATE MASQUE CLARION IOWA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD ELDER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS FOREST CITY IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD JUDGE OILD BEARDED MAN IN SUIT MANSON IOWA
CIRCA 1890s 2 CABINET CARDS BOURNE SAME CUTE YOUNG GIRL IN DRESS CLARION IOWA
c1880s CABINET CARD BARLOW ROMANTIC YOUNG COUPLE HUSBAND & WIFE DES MOINES IOWA
C. 1880s CABINET CARD THOS. PIGEON HUSBAND AND WIFE ROMANTIC COUPLE BELMOND IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ELDER OLD LADY IN FANCY DRESS MASQUE FOREST CITY IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BOURNE FOUR YOUNG CHILDREN FAMILY SIBLINGS CLARION IOWA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD REED FAMILY OF THREE ROMANTIC COUPLE BELMOND IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BOURNE GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS CLARION IOWA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GEO. W. ELDER LADY IN FANCY DRESS FOREST CITY IOWA
C. 1880s CABINET CARD GEO W. ELDER HANDSOME BEARDED MAN IN SUIT FOREST CITY IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MILLER CUTE BABY IN WHITE DRESS ST. CLOUD MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FAMILY OF THREE IN FANCY CLOTHING NEW CASTLE INDIANA
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 →