Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD YOUNG BOY IN FANCY SUIT WITH HAT UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HILLS BABY IN WHITE DRESS SYRACUSE NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD F.A. WEBSTER BABY IN WHITE DRESS OAKLAND CALIFORNIA
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD GROTON HUSBAND & WIFE GLASSES GROTON SOUTH DAKOTA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GRAEFF GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS LEBANON PENN.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD FRITS TWO CHILDREN IN DRESSES READING PENNSYLVANIA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD J.E. BISHOP GORGEOUS LADY IN DRESS CHIPPEWA FALLS WISCON.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD HANDSOME TEENAGE BOY IN SUIT UNMARKED
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD GERMANIA CHILDREN IN DRESSES ST. JOHANN AUSTRIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD J.S. FRITZ LADY IN FANCY DRESS READING PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD ELITE YOUNG GIRL IN DRESS ON BENCH REICHENBERG GERMANY
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD MS. GILLINAY CHILDREN IN WHITE DRESSES HOMER PENN.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GROUP OF LADIES OUTSIDE HAVING PICNIC DETAILED UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ANDERSON GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS RICHMOND MAINE
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD EVANS GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY ITHACA NEW YORK ALBUM PRINT
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BURDICK GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS LANSING MICHIGAN
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD YOUNG LADY IN DRESS WEARING GLASSES UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD KABLEY HANDSOME MAN IN SUIT CLINTON MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG GIRL IN DRESS NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD COBELIN YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS CHICAGO ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD E.L. WILLIS BEARDED MAN IN SUIT MILFORD MASSACHUSETTS
C. 1890s CABINET CARD J.A. BODIE HANDSOME MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE HONESDALE PA
C. 1890 CABINET CARD BRADLEY RULOFSON MAN WITH MUSTACHE SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J.H. DAMPT OLD MAN IN SUIT CORNING NEW YORK NAMED
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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