Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD OLIVER & MARTIN GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY MANCHESTER N.H.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HUDDLESTON OLD LADY WEARING BONNET NEW CASTLE INDIANA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD M. WOLFE GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS DAYTON OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD M. WOLFE OLDER LADY IN FANCY DRESS DAYTON OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD KRATZER HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT HILLSBORG OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD PARSONS OLDER LADY IN GLASSES WHEELING WEST VIRGINIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD H.N. PEASE HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT GREEN ISLAND NY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD YOUNG BOY IN FANCY CLOTHING ALBUM PRINT NAMED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BABY IN WHITE DRESS DETAILED NAMED MARY PRESALEY
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS ALBUM PRINT NAMED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BABY IN STROLLER WITH LITTLE SISTER DETAILED UNMARKED
C. 1880s CABINET CARD BUELL GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS HACKETTSTOWN NEW JERSEY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD RANGER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS SYRACUSE NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD FOREMAN HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT DENVER COLORADO
1981 CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY HOLDING BOOK IN FANCY DRESS UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SNOW HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT ZUMBROTA MINNESOTA
c1890s CABINET CARD WILSON MOTHER WITH CHILDREN FAMILY SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FOUR GORGEOUS YOUNG LADIES IN FANCY DRESSES NAMED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD W.E. McLEOD CUTE TODDLER IN WHITE DRESS HONDO TEXAS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ROBINSON GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS SAN ANTONIO TEXAS
C. 1890s CABINET CARD A.A. BRACK GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS SAN ANTONIO TEXAS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD APEX OLDER LADY IN WHITE DRESS DALLAS TEXAS ALBUM PRINT
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD FELLISON CUTE AFRICAN AMERICAN BABY CINCINNATI OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD COBB OLD LADY IN DRESS WITH GLASSES BINGHAMTON NEW YORK
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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