Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD I.J. NEAGLEY WEALTHY MAN IN SUIT MILLERSBURG PENN.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD W.S. BATES BABY IN WHITE DRESS DENVER COLORADO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GABRIELIAN BEARDED BALDING MAN IN SUIT
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BRITTON CUTE BABY IN WHITE DRESS DENVER COLORADO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BLECKER YOUNG MAN IN SUIT MYERSTOWN PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BEARDED MAN IN SUIT DETAILED READING PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ERNST MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE LANCASTER PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD D.C. BURNITE MAN IN SUIT DETAILED HARRISBURG PA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD STUART MAN IN SUIT ORNATE BACKING HARTFORD CONNETICUIT
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD WOLFE SISTERS IN DRESSES LEBANON PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD F. GUTEKUNST BEARDED MAN WEARING GLASSES PHILADELPHIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD COTTAGE STUDIO HANDSOME MAN IN SUIT NEW BRITAIN CONN.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BUTTORFF MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE YORK PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD HOMER LITTLE GIRL IN SUIT WITH CANE
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CUTE LITTLE GIRL IN WHITE DRESS NAMED FLORA UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD STRUNK BABY GIRL IN WHITE DRESS READING PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GREEN TEENAGE LEBANESE BOY IN SUIT BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD BUTTORFF YOUNG MAN IN LONG COAT YORK PENNSYLVANIA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD HENDRIX & CO. HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE MALDEN MISSOURI
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD W.L. OTTE YOUNG LADY IN VICTORIAN DRESS ALBUM PRINT
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD W. LOTTE HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT ALBUM PRINT
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD FAMILY OF FIVE YOUNG CHILDREN & PARENTS DETAILED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HUSBAND & WIFE ROMANTIC COUPLE SCALLOPED EDGES UNMARKED
C. 1890s CABINET CARD A.M. CHENEY GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS LANSING MICHIGAN
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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