Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD CAMPBELL & CO GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS RICHMOND VA.
C. 1890s CABINET CARD TOMPKINS OLDER LADY IN VICTORIAN DRESS JOHNSTOWN NEW YORK
C. 1890s CABINET CARD A.M. BEAN MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE LAWRENCE MASSACHUSETTS
C. 1890s CABINET CARD ELLIOTT GORGEOUS YOUNG LADIES CLAMSHELL DESIGN MARION IOWA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD YOUNG BOY POSING AS GREEK STATUE NAMED TOM ALANS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GROTECLOSS HANDSOME MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD G. WALLACE WRIGHT GORGEOUS LADY HAUNTING PORLAND MAINE
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD KNEIS BABY IN WHTIE DRESS KNEES TONAWANADA NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD CAMPBELL & CO GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS RICHMOND VA.
C. 1880s CABINET CARD MINOR & GUIWITS 4 MUSLIM BOYS RICHFIELD SPRINGS NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BLAKE & SON FAMILY OF FOUR MEDFORD WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BOSHMEK YOUNG LADY HAND-TINTED BLUE EYES NEW YORK
ANTIQUE CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LAMSON BABY IN WHITE DRESS PORTLAND MAINE
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD A.M. BEAN GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS LAWRENCE MASS.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LEWIS GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS AMBOY ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD YOUNG BOY AND BABY GIRL MYERSTOWN PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD CAMPBELL GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS RICHMOND VIRGINIA
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD I.E. HALL LITTLE GIRL IN DRESS MEADVILLE PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GILBERT GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN WHITE DRESS PHILADELPHIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD OLD BEARDED MAN WHO LOOKS LIKE PATRICK STEWART
C. 1890s CABINET CARD GOLDPITTS & CO TEENAGE GIRL IN FANCY DRESS PORTLAND MAINE
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GENELLI HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE SIOUX CITY IOWA
C. 1870s JAPANESE CABINET CARD DR ZENSO OF YAKUJUIN CHEIF PRIEST SAIJU-IN TEMPLE
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD G.W. FREEMAN GORGEOUS LADY IN DRESS CHARLESTOWN 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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