Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD LOVELY LITTLE GIRL LAYING ON HER MOTHER LONDON ENGLAND
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD THREE MEN RIDING ON HORSEBACK WITH DOG OLD WEST
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LITTLE GIRL WITH BOYKIN SPANIEL DOG ALLEGHENY CITY PA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FLOYD FAMILY AT HUNTING FISHING LODGE LOCK HAVEN PA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FAMILY ON FISHING TRIP IN ROWBOAT ON THE RIVER UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD F. MACKE CUTE BABY IN ORNATE CHAIR CINCINNATI OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD A.D. MILLER CUTE GIRL HIDDEN MOTHER SPRINGFIELD OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MAUGANS YOUNG BOY HOLIND BELL DE GRAFF OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD KEITH CUTE YOUNG GIRL ORNATE MASQUE ALTA IOWA
C. 1880s CABINET CARD T. MACKE CUTE YOUNG CHILD IN WHITE DRESS CINCINNATI OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD MACKERS TWO CUTE SISTERS HOLDING HANDS CAMBRIDGE OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD DESHLE YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS WOOSTER OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD E.J. POTTER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS MANSFIELD OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DOWNS BROS PHOTOGRAPHER IN PICTURE? UNIONTOWN PA.
C. 1890s CABINET CARD BAUMGARDNER GORGEOUS LADY IN FANCY DRESS SPRINGFIELD OHIO
C. 1890s CABINET CARD BAUMGARDNER TWO LADIES IN FANCY DRESSES SPRINGFIELD OHIO
C. 1890s CABINET CARD YOUNG GIRLS FIRST COMMUNION HOLDING BIBLE CINCINNATI OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DARNELL HANDSOME YOUNG MAN HOLDING HAT CUMBERLAND MD.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD WAMSLEY FOUR YOUNG CHILDREN BROTHERS BREMEN INDIANA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD FOWLER BROS HANDSOME YOUNG MAN WITH MUSTACHE WASHINGTON PA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DOWNS BROS HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE OUTSIDE HOUSE PA.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GARNS OLD NOTABLE? 1700s MAN PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD McINTOSH GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS GARDINER MAINE
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MARCHE YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS BRIDGEPORT CONN.
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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