Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT ALBUM PRINT UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD ANTON ROHDE HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE CHICAGO ILLINOIS
C. 1890s CABINET CARD BLACKSTONE HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT GALESBURG ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD JNO. J. BURKE HANDSOME OLD BEARDED MAN IN SUIT
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD ROTE HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT LANCASTER PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MOORE HANDSOME MAN WEARING GLASSES PORTLAND OREGON
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BENJ. MINTON HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE BELLEVUE OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD Mc. FADDEN HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE BOSTON MASS.
C. 1890s CABINET CARD KEEFE HANDSOME OLD BEARDED MAN IN SUIT FORT MADISON IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HAYDEN HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT LOWELL MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD C.L. HIMEBAUGH HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE KINZUA PA.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD HANDSOME YOUNG BEARDED MAN IN SUIT ALBUM PRINT UNMARKED
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE ALBUM PRINT
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD UHLMAN HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT ST. JOSEPH MISSOURI
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD TAYLOR HANDSOME OLD BEARDED MAN IN SUIT SALEM MASS.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD C.R. CALLIHAN HANDSOME YOUNG MAN WITH MUSTACHE
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE SPENCER CHICAGO ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD JAMES HANDSOME YOUNG MAN WEARING OVERCOAT NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BLOREH HANDSOME YOUNG MAN WITH MUSTACHE JERSEY NJ
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD ARRASMITH MOTHER & DAUGHTER ORNATE BACK MUNCIE INDIANA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD M. WOLFE GORGEOUS NAMED LADY WEARING SHAWL DAYTON OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD WINTERS BROS HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT KENTON OHIO
C. 1890s CABINET CARD HUDDLESTON HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT NEW CASTLE 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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