Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FOSTER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY VICTORIAN DRESS RICHMOND VI.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD CAMPBELL & CO GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY RICHMOND VIRGINIA
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD OSWALD BROS ENGLISH COCKER SPANIEL DOG MINNEAPOLIS MINN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD NEW YORK GALLERY HANDSOME MAN IN SUIT RICHMOND VIRGINIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD WILLIAMS & KELLER HANDSOME MAN IN SUIT UTICA NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD NEW YORK GALLERY LADY HAND-TINTED RICHMOND VIRGINIA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD COOKE CHRISTIAN FATHER WITH SONS IN ROBES GOCHAN NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD HANDSOME OLD MAN IN SUIT HOLDING PAPER ALBUM PRINT
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FRITZ HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT READING PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD LITTLE GIRL IN BLACK DRESS UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD NEW YORK GALLERY GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY RICHMOND VIRGINIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CAMPBELL & CO OLDER LADY IN DRESS RICHMOND VIRGINIA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD DOANE GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS BLOOMFIELD NEW JERSEY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FOSTER THREE GENERATIONS DAUGHTER, MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD LEANING TOWER OF PISA MAN STANDING IN FRONT DETAILED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD VERNON OLDER LADY IN VICTORIAN DRESS RICHMOND VIRGINIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARDRUD BACHMANN YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN LADY B'WAY NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD PARLOR HANDSOME AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN PHILADELPHIA PA.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD FRANK BAKER WISCONSIN LODGE GRANDMASTER FREE MASON
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD M. KAY BABY IN WHITE DRESS CALAIS MAINE SCALLOPED EDGES
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HOLMES BABY IN WHITE DRESS FRESNO CALIFORNIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD P.A. JOHNSON HUSBAND & WIFE COUPLE CUMBERLAND WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FRIESLEBEN MOTHER & DAUGHTER FAMILY CHICAGO ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD PARFITT FAMILY OF THREE COSHEN 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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