Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SWAP TWO GORGEOUS YOUNG LADIES IN DRESSES BOONVILLE MO.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HUTCHINGS TWO YOUNG MEN AND LADY MARSHALL MARYLAND
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD POST FAMILY OF FOUR DENVER COLORADO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD WEST SIDE GALLERY YOUNG CHILDREN DENVER COLORADO
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD MILLER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS ALBUM PRINT
C. 1890s CABINET CARD R.W. SWAP TWO YOUNG LADIES IN DRESSES BOONVILLE MISSOURI
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FAYS LARGE FAMILY OF TEN ALL NAMED GENEOLOGY ON BACK
CIRCA 18980s CABINET CARD CARPENTER? POSING WITH ORNATE CHAIR DENVER COLORADO
C. 1890s CABINET CARD ELITE BABY IN WHITE DRESS HOLDING RATTLE DENVER COLORADO
C. 1890s CABINET CARD HUTCHINGS GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS MARSHALL MO.
C. 1890s CABINET CARD J.W. KENNEDY SIX GORGEOUS YOUNG LADIES MARSHALL MISSOURI
C. 1890s CABINET CARD R.W. SWAP GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS BOONVILLE MISSOURI
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CENTRAL GRAND-FATHER & GRAND-DAUGHTER DENVER COLORADO
C. 1890s CABINET CARD SWAP THREE HANDSOME YOUNG MEN WITH MUSTACHES BOONVILLE MO.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SWAP GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS BOONVILLE MISSOURI
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FATTERSFIELD HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT FLANDREAU S.D.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD O.H. BURDICK HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT FLANDREAU S.D.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SWAP THREE GORGEOUS YOUNG LADIES BOONVILLE MISSOURI
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SWAP HANDSOME BEARDED MAN BOONVILLE MISSOURI
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FRAUNECKER LADY IN VICTORIAN DRESS STUTTGART GERMANY
C. 1880s CABINET CARD VIRGINIA ART STUDIO OLDER LADY IN DRESS RICHMOND VIRGINIA
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD HOMEIER & CLARK MOTHER & DAUGHTER RICHMOND VIRGINIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD CAMPBELL & CO GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS RICHMOND VA.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD B. KORN BRIDE & GROOM WEDDING CLEVELAND OHIO
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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