Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Smith's Young Woman Plaid Dress Puffed S Crete, Nebrask
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Clements Grandfather Seaver a man with Denver, Colorad
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Bellsmith Young Woman Elaborate Gown Denver Colorado
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Nast Woman Glasses Ruffled Collar Denver Colorado
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s W. H. Foreman Young Man Mustache Suit Tie Denver Co
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Post Handsome Man Mustache Pretty Woman Denver Colorado
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Bellsmith Bride & Woman Victorian Gowns Denver Colorado
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Cobb & Locke Older Man Large Mustache Phillipsburg Ks
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s M. V. Chapman Young Man Named Levi in Su Attica, Indian
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s F.e. Post Woman Curly Hair & Baby Denver Colorado
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. Collier Two Men In Suits Mustaches Denver Colorado
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Bellsmith Handsome Man Thick Mustache Denver Colorado
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Bellsmith Two Women Elegant White Gowns Denver Colorado
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Pettigrew & Amos J.S. Adam Distinguished Leith, Scotlan
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Jones & Lehman Older Bald Man Grey Beard Denver Colo.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Wheeler & Co. Dapper Seated Couple Junction City Ks
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Geo. F. Riel Bearded Man In Suit & Bow Tie Chicago Il
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Middle Aged Gentleman In 3 Piece Suit Rochester Ny
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s V.l. Bell George W. Yarrington Mustache Ft Madison Ia
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Millburn & Co. Family Man Woman 3 Children Decatur Il
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s King. Dapper Man Mustache Suit Holding Hat Linden Iowa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Armstrong Handsome Man Mustache Wavy Hair Washington Ia
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hagedorn Older Man White Beard Dark Sui Butler, Missour
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Spencer Three Mature Women Victorian Dresses Salem Oh
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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