Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SCHARTES LADY IN BLACK DRESS LEBANON PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SHADLE & BUSSER LADY IN VICTORIAN DRESS YORK PENN.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD FAMILY OF FOUR HANDOSME BEARDED MAN DETAILED
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
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD KUEBLER OLDER MAN IN SUIT PHILADELPHIA 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
C. 1890s CABINET CARD KOSCIUSZKO GROOM & BRIDE HOLDING FLOWERS WEDDING CHICAGO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LITTLE GIRL IN DRESS SCALLOPED EDGES UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MONFORT & HILL ROMANTIC YOUNG COUPLE BURLINGTON IOWA
1898 CABINET CARD HANDSOME YOUNG MEN WITH DOUBLE BARREL SHOTGUN NAMED NOTE
C. 1890s CABINET CARD KNOWLTON & CO HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT LINCOLN NEBRASKA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ANDERSON ROMANTIC YOUNG COUPLE WAHOO NEBRASKA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FREEMAN OLD STOIC COUPLE ROMANTIC ROCHELLE ILLINOIS
C. 1880s CABINET CARD A.A. BECKER HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE SAUK CITY WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CLEMENTS & CO LITTLE GIRL IN WHITE DRESS
C. 1880s CABINET CARD "ABE LINCOLN" MINNIE MAY THOMPSON YOUNG ACTOR CHICAGO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD L. COLDDITZ BABY IN WHITE DRESS ROCHELLE ILLINOIS
C. 1880s CABINET CARD BUCHENAU & GIEGERICH GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY DU SAC WISCONSIN
1894 CABINET CARD ROMANTIC COUPLE IN HAMMOCK OUTSIDE WITH DOG DETAILED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CUTE LITTLE GIRL IN DRESS CLEMENTS & CO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J.M. BRIGHAM GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY PLAINWELL MICHIGAN
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 →