Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD GEO. HASTINGS LITTLE GIRL IN FANCY DRESS BOSTON MASS.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MARRATT TWO CUTE YOUNG CHILDREN DETROIT MICHIGAN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD EAST END GALLERY LADY WEARING GLASSES DECATUR ILLNOIS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BABY IN WHITE DRESS SITTING IN CHAIR NAMED UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CUTE LITTLE GIRL IN WHITE DRESS SITTING IN CHAIR
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD DORGE THREE YOUNG SIBLINGS MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD IMPERIAL STUDIO LADY IN DRESS NEWARK OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD NEWELL & DOW MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE BOSTON MASS.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD 3 SIBLINGS AUFRECHT PITTSBURG PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD PIERRE AYOTTE GORGEOUS LADY IN FANCY DRESS LOWELL MASS.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD EBERHARDT ROMMEL WEALTHY LADY CENTRAL PARK STUDIO NY
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD A. WAHLSTROM MAN IN SUIT WADENA MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD BARTHOLOMEW THREE YOUNG SIBLINGS FAMILY
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BABY IN CHRISTENING DRESS PRIDE GALLERY READING PENN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD NEW YORK ART GALLERY OLD MAN READING PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD LACHMAN BABY GIRL IN WHITE DRESS POTTSTOWN PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD PROFFESOR G.E. EASTMAN YOUNG LADY MORRISON OREGON
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD LITTLE GIRL MORRIS PITTSBURGH PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD DOUGHERTY HANDSOME YOUNG MAN WATERLOO NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD RASMUS HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE PAXTON ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BROWNWORTH GROOM IN TUXEDO FALLS OF SCHUYLKILL PENN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J.W. HENNIGAR GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY NEW ROCHELLE NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FAMILY OF THREE MOTHER, FATHER, DAUGHTER UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J.C. BRANNAN YOUNG BOY IN SUIT ATHENS 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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