Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
1887 CABINET CARD ALPHA WILLIAMS CUTE BABY IN DRESS COLUMBUS GEORGIA
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD BABY SITTING IN STROLLER DETAILED UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ARNO CUTE YOUNG GIRL IN DRESS BALTIMORE MARYLAND
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD W.C. BELL CUTE YOUNG CHILDREN IN DRESSES YORK PA.
C. 1880s CABINET CARD M.A. GOBLE HANDSOME TEENAGE BOY IN SUIT SPRINGIFLED OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD S.D. MORRIS THREE YOUNG SIBLINGS CHILDREN SHARPSBURG PA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BAUMGARDNER CUTE LITTLE GIRL SPRINGFIELD OHIO
C. 1890s CABINET CARD BAUMGARDNER HANDSOME TEENAGE BOY IN SUIT SPRINGFIELD OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CLAN THREE YOUNG CHILDREN IN FANCY CLOTHES ALBANY NY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CUTE YOUNG BOY IN FANCY CLOTHES ZANESVILLE OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD KETCHLEDGE HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT BELVIDERE N.J.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ANGELL & WEEKS CUTE BABY ORNATE MASQUE LITCHFIELD MINN.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD WARD CUTE GIRL IN WHITE DRESS LONDON ENGLAND
1888 CABINET CARD WOLRDS FAIR CINCINNATI OHIO FOUR YOUNG CHILDREN ON DOORSTEPS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD SOURS OLD LADY WEARING EARRINGS ST. JOSEPH MISSOURI
C. 1880s CABINET CARD PHILMAN GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS ST. JOSEPH MISSOURI
1891 CABINET CARD THOMAS McCOLLIN MOTHER AND BABY CUTE ASHLAND PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GEHRIG GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY CHICAGO ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD OLIVER & MARTIN GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY MANCHESTER N.H.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HUDDLESTON OLD LADY WEARING BONNET NEW CASTLE INDIANA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FOUR GORGEOUS YOUNG LADIES NAMED GERMANTOWN OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD M. WOLFE GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS DAYTON OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD M. WOLFE OLDER LADY IN FANCY DRESS DAYTON OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD KRATZER HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT HILLSBORG OHIO
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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