Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LONGSWORTH GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY VAN WERT OHIO
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD ANTON GIULIO BRIGNOLE-SALE ITALIAN POET & SENATOR
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DORAN CUTE BABYS IN WHITE DRESSES TULARE CALIFORNIA
1908 CABINET CARD MAN STANDING INSIDE HOUSE COOKING MEAL NAMED C.A. MOWSON
C. 1880s CABINET CARD GURRAD TWO GORGEOUS YOUNG LADYS GAY INTEREST LA SALLE ILL.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LARGE GROUP OF DRESSMAKERS SEAMSTRESSES SIGURD WIKSTROM
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD T. RAINWATER MAN WITH MUSTACHE SULPHUR SPRINGS TEXAS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD TWO GORGEOUS YOUNG LADIES HOLDING KELLOG TELEPHONE
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HISSONG & SON GORGEOUS OLDER LADY LA GRANGE INDIANA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD N.H. CALENDAR OLD LADY IN BLACK DRESS SPRINGFIELD OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LUND CATHEDRAL LUTHERAN CHURCH PREIST & INTERIOR SWEDEN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD & RPPC CUTE AFRICAN AMERICAN GIRL IN DRESS DALLAS TEXAS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FEREY GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS SCRANTON PA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DRUMMOND HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT CHILLICOTHE OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD F.C. MADER HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE CHILLICOTHE OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GLUTTER TWO HANDSOME MEN WITH MUSTACHES BERINE INDIANA
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
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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