Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD PARSONS OLDER LADY IN GLASSES WHEELING WEST VIRGINIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD H.N. PEASE HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT GREEN ISLAND NY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD YOUNG BOY IN FANCY CLOTHING ALBUM PRINT NAMED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BABY IN WHITE DRESS DETAILED NAMED MARY PRESALEY
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS ALBUM PRINT NAMED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD CUTE LITTLE BOY IN BLACK DRESS ALBUM PRINT
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GREGG HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT GENEVA INDIANA
C. 1870s CABINET CARD D.H. WRIGHT HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT TERRE HAUTE INDIANA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD L.N. DODD ROMANTIC YOUNG COUPLE UTICA OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HAYNES CUTE LITTLE GIRL IN FANCY DRESS PORTLAND OREGON
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS DETAILED UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD B.F. OGDEN HANDSOME YOUNG TEENAGE BOY CHATHAM NEW YORK
C. 1890s CABINET CARD WIN MILLS & SON OLDER LADY IN FANCY DRESS OLNEYVILLE R.I.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT J.M. BEELES ALBUM PRINT
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J.W. MILLER CUTE LITTLE GIRLS SISTERS JACKSON OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HOLLINGERS CUTE GIRL IN WHITE DRESS URBANA OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BABY IN STROLLER WITH LITTLE SISTER DETAILED UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GLENNING BABY IN WHITE DRESS HARRIMAN TENNESSEE
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD JONES OLD LADY WEARING GLASSES COLUMBIA CITY INDIANA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD DENNINGTON TWO GORGEOUS YOUNG LADIES MEADVILLE PA.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD J.W. CLARK FATHER & DAUGHTER CUTE MENDOTA ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MOSER CUTE BABY IN WHITE DRESS DECATUR INDIANA
C. 1880s CABINET CARD D.H. WRIGHT CUTE LITTLE GIRL IN DRESS TERRE HAUTE INDIANA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BALDWIN CUTE BABY IN WHITE DRESS LAFAYETTE INDIANA
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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