Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SCHMIDT CUTE BABY IN WHITE DRESS COUNCIL BLUFFS IOWA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD YATES SISTERS HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT WASECA MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SCHMIDT LITTLE GIRL IN BLACK DRESS COUNCIL BLUFFS IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ROOT BABY IN WHITE DRESS MONMOUTH ILLINOIS ALBUM PRINT
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD NICHOLS LITTLE GIRL IN DRESS NEW YORK
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD FAMILY PHOTO INFRONT OF SMALL HOUSE UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD OLD AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN IN SUIT OUTSIDE RARE UNMAKRED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD TOWNE LADY IN DRESS TROY NEW YORK
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD MAN ON FRONT PORCH STUNNING DETAIL UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD IRUDWIG SEHILL OLD MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE NEWARK NJ
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD C.H. TOWNSEND YOUNG LADY IN DRESS WILLIMANTIC CONNET.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD JAKOONA SISTERS IN DRESSES HERKIMER NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD J.H. SMITH LITTLE GIRL IN DRESS NEWARK NEW JERSEY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD KNIGHT BABY IN CHRISTENING DRESS NEW BRITAIN CONN.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD C.H. TOWNSEND YOUNG LADY IN DRESS WILLIMANTIC CONN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DAVIS AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN IN DRESS DEPOSIT NEW YORK
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH ADOPTED KID? J.H. NAZOR CARMI ILL.
1884 CABINET CARD HERMAN BUCHHOLZ LADY IN DRESS SPRINGFIELD MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD F. WEBSTER BABY IN CHRISTENING DRESS OAKLAND CALIFORNIA
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD GRAVEYARD CEMETARY ORNATE GRAVES UNMARKED
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD YOUNG LADY INFRONT OF HOUSE UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD B.F. OGDEN WEALTHY LADY TROY NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD MAN IN SUIT IN PINSTRIPE CLOTHING READING PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD F.A. WEBSTER BABY IN CHRISTENING DRESS OAKLAND CAL.
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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