Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
C. 1890s CABINET CARD G. WERNER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS MARQUETTE MICHIGAN
1893 CABINET CARD A.E. DUNKLE GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS ROCHESTER NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD KEYSTONE HANDSOME BEARDED MAN IN SUIT ALLENTOWN PENN.
C. 1880s CABINET CARD W.J. LEE GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS ROCHESTER NEW YORK
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD HANDSOME TEENAGE BOY IN SUIT ALBUM PRINT UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN WHITE DRESS FANCY HAT UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GODFREY HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE ROCHESTER NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BROWN HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE BURLINGTON VERMONT
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD JAMES A. BOSTWICK HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD OLD AFRICAN AMERICAN LADY GRANDMA IN FANCY DRESS
C. 1880s CABINET CARD W.T. DOOLE HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE KANSAS CITY MISSOURI
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD COATSWORTH HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE SYRACUSE NEW YORK
C. 1880s CABINET CARD JOHN F. SINGHI HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE ROCKLAND MAINE
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD KAUILSON HANDSOME BEARDED MAN IN SUIT SHENANDOAH IOWA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT WEARING PIN ALBUM PRINT
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD HANDSOME OLDER MAN IN SUIT UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD STEGER HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT FINDLAY OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BRADLEY GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS DAYTON OHIO
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD FREDRICKS HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE NAMED LEONARD BICKEL
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD HANDSOME OLD BEARDED MAN IN SUIT UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD HANDSOME OLDER BEARDED MAN IN SUIT FLOWER ALBUM PRINT
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD HANDSOME OLD BEARDED MAN IN SUIT ALBUM PRINT 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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