Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD WM. H. KIBBE YOUNG LADY IN DRESS JOHNSTOWN NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD PRICE OLDER LADY IN DRESS NEWARK NEW JERSEY
C. 1890s CABINET CARD RICHMOND YOUNG LADY IN VICTORIAN DRESS RICHMOND VIRGINIA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD RASMUSSEN GIRL IN WHITE VICTORIAN DRESS ROCKFORD ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SECK HANDSOME MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE LAWRENCE MASS.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD DAVIS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS & BONETT RICHMOND VIRGINIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HUSBAND AND WIFE COUPLE ALBUM PRINT UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD D.M. SMITH DAD + LITTLE FRIEND LOUDONVILLE OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD RUFSELL GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY LAWRENCE MASSACHUSETTS
C. 1890s CABINET CARD METROPOLITAN STUDIO LITTLE GIRL HOLDING HAT PORTLAND MAINE
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD W.E. SERVICE OLDER LADY IN DRESS BRIDGETON NEW JERSEY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BIEL OLD BEARDED MAN IN SUIT TERRE HAUTE INDIANA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD F.W. SWAP SOLDIER IN UNIFORM WEARING RIBBON BOONVILLE MO.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD CORNWELL BROTHER & SISTER HOLDING DOLL WILLIAMSPORT PA.
C. 1890s CABINET CARD F.W. SWAP BROTHER & SISTER HOLDING DOLL BOONVILLE MISSOURI
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD POST CUTE LITTLE GIRL WITH PUG DENVER COLORADO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BARBER & CO. OLDER LADY IN WHITE DRESS GALVESTON TEXAS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GREAT-GRANDMOTHER FOUR GENERATIONS IS DEAD OBITUARY
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD JARVIS BABY IN WHITE DRESS BROOKINGS SOUTH DAKOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD O.G. OYLOE BABY IN WHITE DRESS BROOKINGS SOUTH DAKOTA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD J.G. OYLOE FAMILY OF SIX BROOKINGS SOUTH DAKOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD O.G. OYLOE GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY BROOKINGS SOUTH DAKOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD O.H. BURDICK HUSBAND & WIFE FLANDREAU SOUTH DAKOTA
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD E.O. SLOVEN GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY FLANDREAU SOUTH DAKOTA
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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