Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS ALBUM PRINT UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD FRED. BOCK HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE BROOKLYN NEW YORK
1890 CABINET CARD GHOST-PRINT S.S. DENGLER HANDSOME MAN IN SUIT SLATINGTON PENN.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD J.T. RELF GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS DECORAH IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HALL GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS TRUMANSBURG NEW YORK
C. 1890s CABINET CARD WARREN GORGOEUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DONNELLY BABY GIRL IN WHITE DRESS NEW HAVEN CONNETICUIT
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DAVIS GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS ELLENVILLE NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HARDY GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS ORNATE
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD EGIRT GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS MERIDEN CONNETICUIT
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HAMMOND HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE LEWISTON MAINE
C. 1880s CABINET CARD HURD'S BABY GIRL IN WHITE DRESS NORTH ADAMS MASSACHUSETTS
C. 1890s CABINET CARD G.W. MAAS HANDSOME MAN WEARING GLASSES COPENHAGEN DENMARK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD NOTMAN HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE ALBANY NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GRIFFIN SCHWAB OLD MAN WITH MUSTACHE PITTSTWON PENN.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BLECKER LITTLE GIRL IN BLACK DRESS MYERSTOWN PENN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD STRUNK LITTLE GIRL IN WHITE DRESS READING PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ROSHON LADY IN BLACK DRESS LEBANON PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD HANDSOME MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD SERVICE YOUNG MAN IN SUIT BRIDGETON NEW JERSEY
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BOSTWICK LADY IN FANCY WHITE DRESS NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD A.G. WHEELER YOUNG MAN IN SUIT GOSHEN NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD R.H. GREEN YOUNG MAN IN SUIT NEWARK NEW JERSEY
C. 1880s CABINET CARD RODGERS GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS HARTFORD CONNETICUIT
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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