Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD ARMSTRONG HANDSOME BEARDED MAN IN SUIT WASHINGTON IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD VAN NESS GORGEOUS LADY IN WHITE DRESS CHARLOTTE N.C.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LOGAN GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS FARGO NORTH DAKOTA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD C.W. PONTIUS GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS SWAYZEE INDIANA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD YOUNG BOY IN SALVATION ARMY BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS
C. 1890s CABINET CARD GEO. SMITH GORGEOUS YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN LADY CINN. OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HANDSOME AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN REVERAND PRIEST CATHOLIC
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD NOTMAN GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS BOSTON MA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS OLDER LADY IN FANCY DRESS BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS
C. 1880s CABINET CARD GOLDSMITH HANDSOME OLD BEARDED MAN IN SUIT SPRINGFIELD MA.
C. 1880s CABINET CARD HANDSOME OLD BEARDED MAN IN SUIT GOLDSMITH SPRINGFIELD MA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FADDEN HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE BOSTON MASSASCHUSETTS
1893 IMPERIAL CABINET CARD GROUP OF GORGEOUS LADIES READING BOOK TULLAHOMA TENN.
C. 1890s CABINET CARD LEOWARD CUTE YOUNG CHRISTIAN GIRLS PRAYING TOPEKA KANSAS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ESTABROOK PRESIDENTENTIAL WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON D.C.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HANDSOME YOUNG BOY WITH HIS BICYCLE HOLDING HAT NAMED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD HALBERT HANDSOME BEARDED MAN IN SUIT STRYKERSVILLE NY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN WHITE DRESS UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD FAIR & SHAAK LUMBER, GRAIN, COAL GENERAL STORE FRONT
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD BABY GRANDSON RIDING ON HORSE WITH HIS GRANDPARENTS
C. 1890s CABINET CARD Q.C. BENJAMIN TWO GORGEOUS YOUNG LADIES ORANGE NEW JERSEY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ROMANTIC YOUNG COUPLES WEDDING DAY DETAILED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP MICHAEL CORRIGAN NEW YORK
1890s CABINET CARD CATHOLIC NATIVE AMERICAN PRIEST "MISS ROCK" OMAHA NEBRASKA
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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