Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD REYNOLDS GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS CHESTON IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BARTON BABY IN LONG WHITE DRESS SLOAN IOWA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD OLESON HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD JACOBS & PETRIE HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE LOGAN IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BEIDEL HANDSOME BEARDED MAN IN SUIT SHIPPENSBURG PENN.
1888 CABINET CARD DUNSHEE & CO. GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN FANCY DRESS BOSTON MASS.
C. 1890s CABINET CARD E.E. MANGOLD CHRISTIAN LADY IN BLACK DRESS MOLINE ILLINOIS
C. 1890s CABINET CARD HARRY A. Webb HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE PHILADELPHIA PA.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD ONEIL HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE UNION SQUARE NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J.P. ABENTS HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT LINEVILLE IOWA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD JOHNSON FAMILY OF TEN CUMBERLAND WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD TANQUEREY LADY IN DRESS NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD COUPLE IN FORMAL CLOTHING UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SAURMAN GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY ST. JOSEPH MISSOURI
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD SHADLE & BUSSER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY YORK PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BON TON YOUNG LADY IN FANYC DRESS WAHOO NEBRASKA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD NEW YORK GALLERY HUSBAND & WIFE READING PENNSYLVANIA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD YINGLING YOUNG LADY IN BLACK DRESS LATROBE PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD O.S. SAURMAN IDENTICAL TWIN SISTERS NORRISTOWN PENN.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD J.R. POTTER LITTLE BOY IN SUIT BUFFALLO NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HANDSOME BEARDED MAN IN SUIT ALBUM PRINT UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BLAIR LEE I MARYLAND UNITED STATES SENATOR & POLITICIAN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HESS STUDIO YOUNG CHILDREN SIBLINGS MIFFLONTOWN PENN.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD RYDER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS SYRACUSE NEW YORK
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.
Have Cabinet Cards to sell?
We buy cabinet card singly or by the lot. Send a few photos and we'll have an offer back in 24–48 hours.
Get an offer →