Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD OSWALD BROS GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MC. GULLOUGH GORGEOUS YOUNG LADIES PETERSBURG ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD WINT CHILDREN STUNNING DETAIL ALLENTOWN PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD JOHN L. DETWEILER HANDSOME YOUNG MAN PHILADELPHIA PENN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD A. NEWMAN HANSWOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT PHILADELPHIA PENN.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD GUSTED HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE PHILADELPHIA PENN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HARRISON KRIPS GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY PHILADELPHIA PENN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD OSWALD HANDSOME OLDER MAN IN SUIT MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD SKAGA HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHENORTHFIELD MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD NEW YORK GALLERY LADY IN VICTORIAN DRESS READING PENN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HAYDEN GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS LINCOLN NEBRASKA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD JOHNSON LADY IN VICTORIAN DRESS CUMBERLAND WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD THE PINERO STUDIO HUSBAND & WIFE COUPLE PHILADELPHIA PA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD OSWALD HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SWORDS BROS YOUNG BOY HOLDING BOW YORK PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD WORDEN CUTE LITTLE GIRL IN CUTE OUTFIT CHICAGO ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HENDRICKS & CO. HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE ALLEGHENY PA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD LAUGHNER HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE BRADDOCK PENN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD WORDEN GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS CHICAGO ILLINOIS
C. 1890s CABINET CARD J.B. WILSON THREE YOUNG LADIES IN DRESSES CHICAGO ILLINOIS
C. 1880s CABINET CARD MOYE GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS HOMESTEAD PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ATLAS STUDIO OLD MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE CHICAGO ILL.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SIEGEL COOPER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY CHICAGO ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD WILKE BRIDE & GROOM WEDDING 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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