Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
C. 1890s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN BLACK VICTORIAN DRESS ALBUM PRINT
C. 1890s CABINET CARD TWO GORGEOUS YOUNG CHRISTIAN LADIES HOLDING BIBLES PA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LENHART YOUNG HUSBAND & WIFE NORTHAMPTON PENNSYLVANIA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD FRITZ CUTE LITTLE GIRL IN WHITE DRESS READING PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD G.R. APPEL HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE DENVER COLORADO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD NIEBEL GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS READING PENN.
C. 1890s CABINET CARD R.A. LEISK OLDER LADY IN FANCY BLACK DRESS ST. PAUL MINN.
C. 1900s CABINET CARD M.B. BORTON YOUNG LADY IN BLACK VICTORIAN DRESS SLOAN IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HANDSOME OLDER MAN WITH MUSTACHE NAMED HENRY MURRAY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ELITE LITTLE KIDS IN FORMAL CLOTHING LEBANON PENN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BLECKER YOUNG BOY IN SUIT MYERSTOWN PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD RICE & CAMPBELL HANDSOME MAN IN SUIT BROADWAY NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD JOHN D. LEMER LADY IN FANCY BLACK DRESS HARRISBURG PA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HAMILTON OLD MAN IN SUIT MUSTACHE NEWARK NEW JERSEY
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD LADY IN BLACK DRESS ALBUM PRINT UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD W.C. BELL YOUNG LADY IN FANCY HAT YORK PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD L.D. HAWKINS YOUNG MAN IN SUIT LAKE CITY IOWA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD N.M. NELSON LADIES IN DRESSES ORNATE BACKING ISHPEMING
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD P. NYBO BABY IN WHITE DRESS PERTH AMBOY NEW JERSEY
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BERRY & TAYLOR YOUNG MAN IN SUIT BLACKPOOL ENGLAND
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BLECKER TEENAGE BOY FASHIONABLY DRESSED MYERSTOWN PA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SMEDLEY & WHITE HANDSOME MAN IN SUIT MUSTACHE NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD WALKER YOUNG MAN IN SUIT CURLY HAIR PHILADELPHIA PENN.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD STAFFLEFS MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE BANGOR PENNSYLVANIA
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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