Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD J.D. LEWIS BABY IN WHITE DRESS KINGSTON NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FREDRICKS HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE BROADWAY NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD STEINMON HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTAHCE PHILADELPHIA PENN.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD JOHN D. LEMER HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE HARRISBURG PA.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD J.P. SILVER HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE PHILADELPHIA PA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE ST. LOUIS MISSOURI NAMED
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS LADY IN FANCY STRIPED DRESS ALBUM PRINT
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD HART FATHER, MOTHER & DAUGHTER FAMILY CARTHAGE NEW YORK
1886 CABINET CARD PERKINS GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BROWN TWO YOUNG BOYS IN SUITS METHALLTOWN IOWA
1904 CABINET CARD COUPLE OUTSIDE NEAR BEACH NEXT TO PALM TREES DAYTONA FLORIDA
1910 CABINET CARD GUST. CARLE COUPLE HIKING TRAIL WATERFALL TRIBERG GERMANY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MERCER OLDER LADY IN FANCY DRESS GALLIPOLIS OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD W.W. SMITH FOUR YOUNG CHILDREN TOWER CITY PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD HANDSOME BEARDED MAN IN SUIT ALBUM PRINT
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD G.C. PATTER HANDSOME OLD BEARDED MAN PHILADELPHIA PENN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD OSWALD BROS HANDSOME YOUNG MAN MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD SHADLE & BUSSER HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE YORK PA.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS NAMED
C. 1890s CABINET CARD ANNA NORDLON COUPLE ON HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE GEFLE SWEDEN
1891 CABINET CARD LANE BROS CUTE YOUNG BOY IN SUIT HOUSATONIC MASSACHUSETTS
C. 1890s CABINET CARD GHOST PRINT W.F. TURNER OLD LADY WAKEFIELD MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD MILLER YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT WEARING BOWTIE UNMARKED
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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