Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD WILLEWARD BOND GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY FORT MADISON IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GESMAN & HEINY GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY KNOXVILLE IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD JOHNSTON LADY IN VICTORIAN DRESS WAURUN WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS LONG HAIR ALBUM PRINT
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD YOUNG CHILD IN WHITE DRESS SITTING IN CHAIR DETAILED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ROOT BABY IN FANCY WHITE DRESS MONMOUTH ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BROWN LADY IN WHITE DRESS MARSHALLTOWN IOWA
1892 CABINET CARD CLARK WOMEN IN DRESS NAMED ON BACK RUSHVILLE ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD LLOYD MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE TROY NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HASTINGS SIDEPROFILE LADY IN FANCY DRESS BOSTON MASS.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD NELSON BROS MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE ST PAUL MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD C. SCHMIDT BEARDED MAN IN SUIT NURNBERG GERMANY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD H.C. MOORE BOY IN ROW BOAT SPRINGFIELD MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LLOYD MAN IN DOUBLE BREASTED SUIT WITH MUSTACHE TROY NY
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD ABENTS SIBLINGS LINEVILLE IOWA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BRANNAN MOTHER AND CHILD ATHENS OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD LLOYD MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE TROY NEW YORK
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD J.E. BILBROUGH LADY IN WHITE DRESS DUBUQUE IOWA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD WM. SHEWS OLD LADY SAN FRANCISO CALIFORNIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD ROSEN LADY IN DRESS STOCKHOLM SWEDEN NOTE ON BACK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD OSCAR OLSSON MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE OSTERSUND SWEDEN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD B.F. OGDEN FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH PITTSFIELD MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LLOYD BEARDED OLD MAN IN SUIT TROY NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD JAMESVILLE LADY IN VICTORIAN DRESS ZANESVILLE OHIO
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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