Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ROHNERS HUSBAND & WIFE ROMANTIC COUPLE CARROLL IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J.O.B PHOTOGRAPHER LITTLE BOY STANDING ON CHAIR
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ORMSBY BABY GIRL IN CHRISTENING DRESS GOLD MEDAL AWARD
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD INTERACIAL MARRAIGE J.M. TURNER & CO. ASHLAND WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J.C. BRANNON MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE ATHENS OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ASHMAW OLD LADY IN BLACK DRESS BALTIMORE MARYLAND
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD PIRIE MacDONALD OLD LADY IN DRESS ALBANY NEW YORK
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD N.E. PIERCE BEARDED MAN NAMED MR. TURNER WAVERLY IOWA
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD BUFFHAM BROS LADY IN BLACK DRESS BALTIMORE MARYLAND
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD BALDWINS STUDIO COUPLES PORTRAIT ST. SIOUX IOWA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD ORMSBY LADY IN DRESS NAMED ON BACK OAKLAND CALIFORNIA
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD REYNOLDS LADY IN WHITE DRESS ST. PETER MINNESOTA
CABINET CARD HIGHLAND BELL HIGHSCHOOL CLASS PICTURE NATURAL BRIDGE VIRGINIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD R.S. JAMES LADY IN DRESS IVY IOWA NAMED ON BACK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ELTON BOY IN SUIT AND GLASSES WOODSTOWN NEW JERSEY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LAWSON MAN AND WIFE CRAWFORDSVILLE INDIANA
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD L.C. PERKINSON LADY IN DRESS NEWARK NEW JERSEY
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD BABY IN WHITE DRESS NAMED WILLIAM KRIPS BLOOMFIELD N.J.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD E.E. BERTRAND'S SIBLINGS SPOKANE FALLS WASHINGTON
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD T.D. TOASTER YOUNG MAN IN SUIT NORWALK OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD M.V. FADNER SIBLINGS PHOTOGRAPH PRINCETON WISCONSIN
1915 CABINET CARD ATELIER GOTA MOTHER AND CHILD STOCKHOLM SWEDEN
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD ALLEN BABY IN WHITE DRESS GLEN ELDER KANSAS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD A.K.P TRASK LADY IN BLACK DRESS PHILADELPHIA PENN.
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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