Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
C. 1890s CABINET CARD PIFER & BECKER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS CLEVELAND OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD OLDER LADY IN BLACK DRESS ALBUM PRINT UNMARKED
C. 1880s CABINET CARD RICHARDSON & RENGGLY FAMILY OF THREE LA CROSSE WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ASHMAN GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS BALTIMORE MARYLAND
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD CARPENTER GORGEOUS LADY WITH FANCY DRESS GRANVILLE OHIO
C. 1890s CABINET CARD BAUMGARDNER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS SPRINGFIELD OHIO
C. 1870s CABINET CARD PHIL WALTERMIRE YOUNG GIRL ON ROPE SWING ASHLAND NEBRASKA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD KRUNHAR BROS HANDSOME YOUNG LADY IN DRESS CLEVELAND OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MYERS HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT LA CROSSE WISCONSIN
C. 1890s CABINET CARD F.W. MOULD HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT LA CROSSE WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD J.F. RYDER HANDSOME BEARDED MAN IN SUIT CLEVELAND OHIO
C. 1890s CABINET CARD PICKERING HADNSOME YOUNG MAN OUTSIDE SCARBOROUGH ENGLAND
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD CUTE YOUNG BOY RIDING TRICYCLE ON CARPET UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DUFRESNE OLDER LADY IN DRESS WATERTOWN WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD NOCA GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS CLEVELAND OHIO
C. 1890s CABINET CARD BROWN CUTE LITTLE GIRL BUSTLE CHAIR WAMPETON NORTH DAKOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD PRYOR GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS LA CROSSE WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD E. DUFRESNE FOUR YOUNG LADYS GROUP WATERTOWN WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD F.W. MOULD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY LA CROSSE WISCONSIN
C. 1890s CABINET CARD ROMEO & JULIET CROSS-DRESSING LADY THEATER COSMOS SERIES
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LEE HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE PHILLIPSBURG NEW JERSEY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD KILBORNS HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE CEDAR RAPDIS IOWA
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD YOUNG MOTHER WEARING OVAL PIN PHOTO OF DAUGHTER
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LATTO GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS BOSTON MASS.
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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