Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD L.D. HAWKINS HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT LAKE CITY IOWA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD C.A. WINSOR HANDSOME OLD MAN IN SUIT GALESBURG ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD FURMAN HANDSOME BEARDED MAN IN SUIT ROCHESTER NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FRITZ HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT READING PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J.W. TAYLOR OLD LADY IN FANCY DRESS ROCHESTER NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J.W. TAYLOR GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY ROCHEST NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD WALTER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS ROCHESTER NEW YORK
C. 1870s CABINET CARD J.W. TAYLOR HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE ROCHESTER NEW YORK
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD J.U. STEAD HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SARONY HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE BROADWAY NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SCHAEFER ROMANTIC YOUNG COUPLE ROCHESTER NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J.W. TAYLOR GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY ROCHESTER NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS ALBUM PRINT UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT ALBUM PRINT UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT NAMED ALBUM PRINT
C. 1890s CABINET CARD WINTER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADYS GAY INTEREST SYRACUSE NEW YORK
c1890s CABINET CARD PRESCHER HANDSOME YOUNG MAN GHOST-PRINT MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN
C. 1890s CABINET CARD MILLER HANDSOME YOUNG MAN GHOST-PRINT MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD TWO OLDER WOMEN HUGGING FROM BEHIND GAY INTEREST
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LEE HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE PHILLIPSBURG NEW JERSEY
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD F.L. PRICE HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE DUNDEE NEW YORK
C. 1880s CABINET CARD BUELL HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE HACKETTSTOWN NEW JERSEY
C. 1890s CABINET CARD ROCKY FORD WATERMELON DAY CELEBRATION G.W. SWINK COLORADO
C. 1870s CABINET CARD REULING AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN IN SUIT LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY
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.
Have Cabinet Cards to sell?
We buy cabinet card singly or by the lot. Send a few photos and we'll have an offer back in 24–48 hours.
Get an offer →