Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD WM. H. WELFLEY HANDSOME TEENAGE BOY IN SUIT SOMERSET PA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SMITH HANDSOME YOUNG BOY IN SUIT DETAILED NEWARK OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LOBENTHAL HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT GALION OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BRANDS HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE CHICAGO ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J.C. HARRNO HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT MASSILLON OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD RIES HANDSOME YOUNG BOY IN SUIT NEWARK OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD J. GROTZINGER HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT CLEARFIELD PA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HINEA HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE VALPARAISO INDIANA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HENNING HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE GALENA ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BISHOP HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT CHIPPEWA FALLS WIS.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J.J. WOLFE HANDSOME BEARDED MAN IN SUIT LANCASTER OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD J.H. McINTIRE HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE GALION OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MORHISEN HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE DUBUQUE IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CHASE & CO. HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT NEWARK OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD TOBIAS HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT LANCASTER OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD REGER HANDSOME MAN IN SUIT ALTOONA PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GODFREY HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE ROCHESTER NEW YORK
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD DUFFY HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT CLEARFIELD PA.
C. 1890s CABINET CARD SWANSON HANDSOME BEARDED MAN IN SUIT CENTRAL CITY COLORADO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BRIDGE HANDSOME MAN WEARING GLASSES CLEARFIELD PA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HOWARD HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE CLEARFIELD PA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MAX PLATS HANDSOME BEARDED MAN IN SUIT CHICAGO ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD C.F. COOK HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE WILKES-BARRE PA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD COOPER HANDSOME BEARDED MAN PIN CHICAGO ILLINOIS
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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