Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
C. 1890s CABINET CARD BUSSELL REVEREND F.A. FINIGNGHIETTI QUINCY MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD BUSSELL DOCTOR JAMES J. PADULA QUINCY MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD RICE CATHOLIC REVEREND PRIEST NAMED WASHINGTON D.C.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD REVEREND BISHOP BROOKS OF BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS
1890 LARGE CABINET CARD THORD LADY IN DRESS HOLDING FAN SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD MAYOR HENRY O. FAIRBANKS OF QUINCY MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD CATHOLIC REVERAND TIMOTHY DAMAHY MISSIONARY IN SAMOA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ABBOTT & LAW GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY LITTLE FALLS NEW YORK
C. 1890s CABINET CARD OLD LADY IN BLACK DRESS J.J. MILLIKIN BELLEFONTAINE OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD O.E. BORLOUG HUSBAND & WIFE COUPLE DECORAH IOWA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD A.R. OREM LITTLE BOY IN FANCY OUTFIT CHICAGO ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BLAFKA STUDIO HUSBAND & WFIE WEDDING CHICAGO ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD J.N. PATON HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE GLASGOW SCOTLAND
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD KELLOGG HANDSOME TEENAGE BOY IN SUIT RED WING MINNESOTA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD WALTER LEWIS GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS OHIO CITY OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BLACKBURN GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY GRAND FORKS NORTH DAKOTA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD I. GLERUM HUSBAND & WIFE COUPLE DEVILS LAKE NORTH DAKOTA
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD DAHE & SON WEALTHY MAN MEDFORD WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD W.E. SERVICE GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY BRIDGETON NEW JERSEY
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD J.H. SMITH OLDER LADY IN DRESS NEWARK NEW JERSEY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DOUGHERTY CUTE TEENAGE GIRL IN DRESS WATERLOO NEW YORK
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD LEE & BURDICK HANDSOME YOUNG MAN MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD OLD LADY IN FANCY DRESS DETAILED UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD J.R. PEARSON LADY IN DRESS PITTSBURG PENNSYLVANIA
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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