Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD YOUNG MAN IN SUIT HOLDING BOOK UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD HURST YOUNG COUPLE BEARDED MAN HUTCHINSON KANSAS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD HAKELIER VIENNA STUDIO BABY IN DRESSROCK ISLAND ILLS
C. 1890s CABINET CARD LACELLS HUSBAND & WIFE COUPLE ROMANTIC LAKOTA NORTH DAKOTA
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD LEASE BABY GIRL IN WHITE DRESS LANCASTER PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD RIDGWAY HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT MADISON WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD URLIN + PFEIFER MAN IN SUIT COLUMBUS OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD J.R. PEARSON LADY IN DRESS PITTSBURG PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD RISE & GATES OLD LADY IN DRESS LEBANON PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD COPE & DAY GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY NORRISTOWN PENNSYLVANIA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD SHANE HANDSOME YOUNG MAN NAMED PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MUSSERS STUDIO LITTLE GIRL IN WHITE DRESS HARRISBURG PA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD URLIN & PFEIFER HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE COLUMBUS OHIO
1892 CABINET CARD FREDRICKS HANDSOME BEARDED MAN IN SUIT BROADWAY NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD W.E. LOW HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE GREENSBURG PENN.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD GARDNER & CO. OLDER LADY IN DRESS BROOKLYN NEW YORK
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD FETTERT OLDER LADY IN BLACK DRESS NICE FRANCE
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GILBERT & BAARN GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY PHILADELPHIA PENN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD T.A. DUNLAP HUSBAND &WIFE COUPLE BLOOMFIELD IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD L.N. LINDEN GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY DULUTH MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD NEW YORK GALLERY BABY WHITE DRESS READING PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GEO. KRAFT GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY ST. PAUL MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J. CHRISPYN GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY ALKMAAR NETHERLANDS
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 →