Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
C. 1870s CABINET CARD REULING AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN IN SUIT LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BALLS AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN WITH MUSTACHE KENTUCKY
C. 1890s CABINET CARD AFRICAN AMERICAN NANNY WITH WHITE FAMILY PHILADELPHIA PA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DR. LAND BABY IN WHITE DRESS SITTING ON CHAIR MICHIGAN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD WEEKS CUTE YOUNG BOY IN SUIT LITCHFIELD MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BARTELL HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT OSAGE IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SHEW TWO GORGEOUS YOUNG LADIES MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN
C. 1890s CABINET CARD F.W. MOULD HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE LA CROSSE WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J.W. GOETZ GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY WEST BEND WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DITTMAR ROMANTIC YOUNG COUPLE MILWAUKEE MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SNAW GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS ZUMBROTA MINNESOTA
c1890s CABINET CARD PRESCHER ROMANTIC HUSBAND & WIFE COUPLE MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN
C. 1890s CABINET CARD G.G. PECK GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS ZUMBROTA MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HOLLOWAY CUTE TEENAGE FIRL IN DRESS TERRE HAUTE INDIANA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT ALBUM PRINT
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HARPER HANDSOME MAN IN SUIT GALVESTON TEXAS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS WINDOW UNIQUE MASQUE
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD POST ROMANTIC YOUNG COUPLE DENVER COLORADO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FOUR CUTE YOUNG GIRLS SISTERS IN WHITE DRESSES DETAILED
C. 1890s CABINET CARD ANGELL & WEEKS CUTE LITTLE GIRL LITCHFIELD MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD KIMBALL FATHER & SON FAMILY GARDINER MAINE
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD A.F. REYNOLDS CUTE GIRL WITH BABY SISTER GARDINER MAINE
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD G.J. SNOOK CUTE LITTLE GIRLS IN DRESSES AKRON OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CUTE LITTLE HOLDING FLOWERS UNIQUE CHAIR 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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