Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
1890s CABINET CARD CATHOLIC NATIVE AMERICAN PRIEST "MISS ROCK" WITH REV. RYDELL
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FAMILY WITH YOUNG BOY ON TOY ROCKING HORSE RIBBON
C. 1890s CABINET CARD DENNIER HANDSOME YOUNG MAN ORNATE MASQUE GREIGHTN NEBRASKA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BROCKWAY GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS LINCOLN NEBRASKA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD STEADMAN GORGEOUS LADY UNIQUE MASQUE FREMONT NEBRASKA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HANDSOME MAN WITH HIS BICYCLE NIAGARA FALLS NEW YORK
C. 1880s CABINET CARD McINTURFF ROMANTIC COUPLE ORNATE MASQUE HUTCHINSON KANSAS
1895 CABINET CARD YOUNG BROTHER PUSHING SISTER AROUND IN SLED SNOWY DAY XMAS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD CRAMER HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE ST. LOUIS MISSOURI
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD JEFFERS GORGEOUS LADY ORNATE MASK XMAS NOTE ENNIS TEXAS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FELT TWO GORGEOUS YOUNG LADIES CHICAGO ILLINOIS
C. 1890s CABINET CARD CALKINS GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS HANOVER KANSAS
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD LARGE FAMILY GATHERING OF 37 PEOPLE IN A HOUSE PIANO
c1890s CABINET CARD PURCELL OCCUPATIONAL MEN HOLDING SHOVELS ST. PAUL MINNESOTA
1883 CABINET CARD E.D. BANGS MAN RELAXING ON HAMMOCK WIFE MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN
1909 CABINET CARD FAMILY OUTING HAVING A PICNIC IN THE GRASS OUTSIDE
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD STOCKMAN YOUNG BOY RELAXING IN HAMMOCK McPHERSON KANSAS
C. 1890s CABINET CARD LEWIS MOTHER WITH HER THREE LOVELY CHILDREN NYACH NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD POST FAMILY WITH THEIR NEWFOUNDLAND DOG DENVER COLORADO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GOODRICH CUTE CHILDREN BABY IN STROLLER CREIGHTON MO.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD E.J. LECOCQ CUTE BABY LAYING ON BLANKET NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CUTE LITTLE GIRL HOLDING HER TOY DOLL FANCY DETAILED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD PRESCHER CUTE YOUNG CHILD AND TRICYCLE MILWAUKEE WISC.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD LONDON BRIDGE WITH CARTS AND WAGONS ON IT STREET SCENE
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 →