Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD H.J. NEICK LITTLE GIRL IN DRESS MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD JOHNSON YOUNG MAN IN SUIT CUMBERLAND WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD HOHMANN MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE MONDOVI WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BUFFALO HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT BUFFALO NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BECKWITH CUTE LITTLE GIRL IN FANCY DRESS HELENA MONTANA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FERGUNSON OLD LADY IN BLACK DRESS CLINTON IOWA
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD J.H. KOERNER MUSICIANS PLAYING CLARINET, VIOLEN, CHELLO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD SMITHS OLD BEARDED MAN IN SUIT LOCKPORT NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FAMILY MOTHER, FATHER, DAUGHTER UNMARKED
C. 1890s CABINET CARD HERM. MEYER GROOM & BRIDE WEDDING ROMANTIC UCHTE GERMANY
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD HANDSOME MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE LOCKPORT NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BF GOTTWALS MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE OSCEOLA ARKANSAW
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GEO. H. WOOD MAN IN SUIT WITH MUSTACHE TOWANDA PENN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CLENCH BABY IN WHITE DRESS TONAWANDA NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ALTERBURY GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS BUFFALO NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD H.F. JOHNSON MAN IN SUIT PIRTON ONTARIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD CARHART YOUNG MAN IN SUIT PHILLIPSBURG NEW JERSEY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SCHOOL TEACHER WITH SCHOOL CHILDREN EDUCATION RARE!
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD YOUNG THEATER ACTORS PERFORMERS IN SLEEPWEAR RARE!
C. 1890s CABINET CARD GROUP OF PEOPLE MAN WEARING SOMBRERO AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD FARMER BROTHERS YOUNG MAN IN SUIT HAMILTON ONTARIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD RICHTER HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT PHILADELPHIA PENN.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD TORREYS MOTHER & DAUGHTER NORTH TONAWANDA NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD B.F. POWELSON GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY BUFFALO NEW YORK
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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