Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD McCAHON TWO HANDSOME BROTHERS IN SUTIS NEWARK OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD ROY HUUIE HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE LIMA OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD TAPPAN & CONNEL HANDSOME YOUNG MAN WHEELING VIRGINIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LOOMIS HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT PARKERSBURG VIRGINIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD TOLMAN OLDER LADY IN FANCY DRESS NEBRASKA CITY NEBRASKA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD SARGENT GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN WHITE DRESS HAMILTON OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CHASE GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS NEWARK OHIO
C. 1890s CABINET CARD J.W. SIRES GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY SOUTH OIL CITY PENNSYLVANIA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD W.J. DOLLISON GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS CAMBRIDGE OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BUSER & RIFENBURGS GORGEOUS OLDER CEDAR RAPIDS IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD W.C. BELL GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS FREDERICK MD.
C. 1880s CABINET CARD McGLUNG GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS CHARLESTOWN W. VA.
C. 1890s CABINET CARD GILBERT GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS PHILADELPHIA PA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD YOUNG BOY OUTSIDE IN SNOW READY FOR SCHOOL BOOK SATCHEL
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MEASON MOTHER & DAUGHTER FAMILY LA CROSSE WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD STEIU GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS MILWAUKEE WIS.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MEASON ROMANTIC HUSBAND & WIFE LA CROSSE WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MEASON GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS LAC CROSSE WI
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD F.W. MOULD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY LA CROSSE WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD PRYOR MOTHER & DUAGHTER IN DRESSES LA CROSSE WISCONSIN
C. 1890s CABINET CARD FENWICK GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS BLOOMINGTON ILL
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD McKEE GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS ANDERSON INDIANA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD SLATER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS FRANKLIN OHIO
C. 1890s CABINET CARD BLOOMINGDALE GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS NEW YORK
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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