Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD McPHERSON LITTLE GIRL IN WHITE DRESS ROCKFORD ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD O. PENNIE SMITH GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY NEWARK NEW JERSEY
CIRCA 1870s FUNERAL CABINET CARD HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE
C. 1890s CABINET CARD GARDNER & CO. STUDIO ON BACK LITTLE GIRL BROOKLYN NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD P.H.ROSE HANDSOME OLD MAN STUDIO ON BACK PROVIDENCE RI
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BROWN YOUNG LADY IN WHITE DRESS INDEPENDENCE KANSAS
CIRCA 1890s SANDERS CABINET CARD YOUNG BOY IN SUIT WITH FLOWERS CHICAGO ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J.D. RICHARD FAMILY OF FOUR NICOLET QUEBEC CANADA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD E.A. BASS LADY IN BLACK DRESS BROCKTON MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD JOHNSON OLDER HUSBAND & WIFE CUMBERLAND WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD P.W TENNANT & SON LADY IN DRESS HAVERHILL MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD R. SOURS TWO GORGEOUS YOUNG LADIES ONE IN WINDOW RARE!
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DAHE & SON YOUNG MAN IN SUIT MEDFORD WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD FAMILY OF SIX DETAILED UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD NOTMAN LADY IN FANCY BLACK DRESS BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GILBERT & BAARN HANDSOME YOUNG MAN PHILADELPHIA PENN.
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD SKILLING BABY IN WHITE DRESS SITTING IN CHAIR
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD PARDY LADY IN BLACK DRESS BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD CALDWELL BABY GIRL IN DRESS BROCKTON MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE DETAILED UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FREDERIE HANDSOME MAN MUSTACHE WAYNESBORO PENNSYLVANIA
1890s CABINET CARD OLD LADY HARTLY PORTRAITS CHICAGO ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BABY GIRL IN BIG WHITE DRESS DETAILED UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FAMILY OF THREE HUSBAND WITH AMAZING MUSTACHE
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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