Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HOWE HANDSOME OLD BEARDED MAN IN SUIT ELMIRA NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J.D. STRUNK LITTLE GIRL IN WHITE DRESS READING PENN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ORRIS HUNT YOUNG MAN IN SUIT ST. PAUL MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD HUNTON YOUNG MAN IN SUIT HALLOWELL MAINE
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD OLDER LADY IN DRESS UNMARKED
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD WOLFE CUTE LITTLE BOY IN SAILORS OUTFIT LEBANON PENN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD K.E. WASHBURN YOUNG MAN IN SUIT WITH BIKE BUFFALO MINN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J. SCHADEE MAN IN SUIT FUNERAL CARD FLORENCE MASS.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD WOLFE LITTLE CHILD IN WHITE DRESS LEBANON PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD WALKER YOUNG MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE PHILADELPHIA PA.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD SWEETSER OLD BEARDED MAN IN SUIT LYNN MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HARDY YOUNG LADY IN DRESS BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD ZIMMERMAN & PRINCE BABY IN FANCY WOOL DRESS YORK PENN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CARROLL YOUNG MAN IN SUIT SHEFFIELD ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS STUNNING DETAIL UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT GRAND RAPIDS MICHIGAN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD L.W. FELT LADY IN FANCY DRESS DETAILED CHICAGO ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J.R. POTTER HANDSOME MAN IN SUIT EAST AURORA NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GEO. KRAFT YOUNG MAN IN SUIT ST. PAUL MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MAN IN HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE OUTSIDE HOUSE DETAILED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LOUCKS HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD WILL D. BALDWIN CUTE LITTLE GIRL SUPERIOR WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD KERSTING CUTE LITTLE GIRL IN DRESS CHICAGO ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SATHER TWO YOUNG BROTHERS MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA
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 →