Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
C. 1890s CABINET CARD ELDER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS FOREST CITY IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD JUDGE OILD BEARDED MAN IN SUIT MANSON IOWA
CIRCA 1890s 2 CABINET CARDS BOURNE SAME CUTE YOUNG GIRL IN DRESS CLARION IOWA
c1880s CABINET CARD BARLOW ROMANTIC YOUNG COUPLE HUSBAND & WIFE DES MOINES IOWA
C. 1880s CABINET CARD THOS. PIGEON HUSBAND AND WIFE ROMANTIC COUPLE BELMOND IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ELDER OLD LADY IN FANCY DRESS MASQUE FOREST CITY IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BOURNE FOUR YOUNG CHILDREN FAMILY SIBLINGS CLARION IOWA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD REED FAMILY OF THREE ROMANTIC COUPLE BELMOND IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BOURNE GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS CLARION IOWA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GEO. W. ELDER LADY IN FANCY DRESS FOREST CITY IOWA
C. 1880s CABINET CARD GEO W. ELDER HANDSOME BEARDED MAN IN SUIT FOREST CITY IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MILLER CUTE BABY IN WHITE DRESS ST. CLOUD MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FAMILY OF THREE IN FANCY CLOTHING NEW CASTLE INDIANA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD F.C. GRONEMAN CUTE BABY IN WHITE DRESS FORT DODGE IOWA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD MILLER HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA
C. 1880s CABINET CARD W.R. MILLER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS MINNEAPOLIS MINN.
C. 1880s CABINET CARD F.C. GRANEMAN FAMILY OF THREE CHRISTIANS FORT DODGE IOWA
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD CATHOLIC GIRLS FIRST COMMUNION BROWNS VALLEY MINNESOTA
C. 1880s CABINET CARD STRUNK HANDSOME TEENAGE BOY IN SUIT READING PENNSYLVANIA
C. 1880s CABINET CARD G.W. ELDER OLD MAN IN SUIT ORNATE MASQUE FOREST CITY IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD THREE YOUNG CHILDREN IN FANCY CLOTHING UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CUTE LITTLE GIRL STANDING ON CHAIR TACOMA WASHINGTON
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD COLLINS GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS SCHUYLERVILLE NY
C. 1890s CABINET CARD BUSHNELL TWO CUTE YOUNG CHILDREN SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA
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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