Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
C. 1870s CABINET CARD W.D. FAY TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN WHITE DRESSES JOLIET ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HUGHES YOUNG HUSBAND & WIFE ROMANTIC JOLIET ILLINOIS
C. 1880s CABINET CARD J.S. BUTLER HUSBAND & WIFE ROMANTIC CHATHAM ONTARIO CANADA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD B. ASHBAUCHER BABY IN WHITE DRESS BLUFFTON INDIANA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HUSBAND & WIFE ROMANTIC COUPLE UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HARPER BABY IN WHITE DRESS JOLIET ILLINOIS
C. 1890s CABINET CARD B. ASHBAUCHER LITTLE GIRL IN WHITE DRESS BLUFFTON INDIANA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD T. BAIKIE BABY GIRL IN WHITE DRESS CHATHAM ONTARIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BUTLER BROTHER & SISTERS CHATAM ONTARIO CANADA
C. 1900s CABINET CARD J.S. BUTLER SIBLINGS FANCY CLOTHES CHATAM ONTARIO CANADA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GRONDAL GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS LINDSBORG KANSAS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD G.W. GIBSON COUPLE IN FRONT OF STOREFRONT COLDSTREAM
CIRCA 1890s 2 CABINET CARDS MEDIC IN UNIFORM ELMER CHICKEWING BOSTON MASS.
C. 1880s CABINET CARD WARREB G. FOLLEY OLDER LADY IN DRESS BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD OSWALD BROS GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HULLER & SON HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE BATTLE CREEK MI
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD WINT CHILDREN STUNNING DETAIL ALLENTOWN PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HARRISON KRIPS GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY PHILADELPHIA PENN.
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD SKAGA HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHENORTHFIELD MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD NEW YORK GALLERY LADY IN VICTORIAN DRESS READING PENN.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD GUSTED HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE PHILADELPHIA PENN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MC. GULLOUGH GORGEOUS YOUNG LADIES PETERSBURG ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD OSWALD HANDSOME OLDER MAN IN SUIT MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HAYDEN GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS LINCOLN NEBRASKA
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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