Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD H.W. CRAIG GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY MARIETTA OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN VICTORIAN DRESS ALLENTOWN PA.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD STRUNK FOUR GIRLS SISTERS? READING PENNSYLVANIA ORNATE
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN BOY ON FARM WITH SMALL COW
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS HOLDING PURSE
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN LADY IN WHITE DRESS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD TWO GORGEOUS YOUNG LADIES IN VICTORIAN DRESSES
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS ALBUM PRINT
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD BAUM HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT WHITESBORO TEXAS
C. 1890s CABINET CARD CRIT SYMPSON OLDER LADY IN FANCY DRESS CARTHAGE ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BONETT HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT EAU CLAIRE WISCONSIN
1897 CABINET CARD SCHAIDNER CUTE YOUNG BOY IN SUIT
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD WILKE ROMANTIC YOUNG BRIDGE & GROOM WEDDING CHIGAGO ILL
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CORNELL LADY IN BLACK VICTORIAN DRESS ALBANY NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ANGELL & WEEKS YOUNG BOY IN SUIT LITCHFIELD MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD ROBINSON GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS LEXINGTON KY.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD PIRIE MACDONALD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS ALBANY NY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD L.F. ARNOLD OLDER LADY IN VICTORIAN DRESS WARWICK R.I.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BENTLEY HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE FARGO NORTH DAKOTA
1887 CABINET CARD GORGEOUS MOTHER WITH TWO CUTE CHILDREN WINONA MINN.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD MAXWELL HANDSOME MAN MUSTACHE SPOKANE FALLS WASHINGTON
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FAMILY OF FOUR HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ATLAS STUDIO YOUNG FAMILY OF FIVE CHICAGO ILLINOIS
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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