Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD R&R MANISH LADY IN FANCY DRESS CHICAGO ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DAVIS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS
C. 1880s CABINET CARD SERVICE LADY IN DRESS WEARING GLASSES BRIDGETON NEW JERSEY
C. 1890s CABINET CARD SCHAFFER HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE POUGHKEEPSIE NEW YORK
C. 1890s CABINET CARD W.S. DAVIS HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT ELLENVILLE NEW YORK
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD POTTER & CO BEARDED MAN WEARING GLASSES PHILADELPHIA PA
C. 1880s CABINET CARD SERVICE GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS BRIDGETON NEW JERSEY
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS ALBUM PRINT UNMARKED
1891 CABINET CARD B ETTER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS GREAT FALLS NEW HAMPSHIRE
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MORTON LADY IN FANCY DRESS PROVIDENCE RHODE ISLAND
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LEE WOMEN IN WHITE DRESS PHILLIPSBURG NEW HAMPSHIRE
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD A.P. DREW LADY IN FANCY BLACK DRESS DOVER NEW HAMPSHIRE
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SAYLORS HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE READING PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MILLER HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD W.R. CALL LADY IN BLACK DRESS MANCHESTER NEW HAMPSHIRE
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD KNOWLTON BROS GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY NORTHAMPTON MASS.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HORNING HANDSOME TEENAGE BOY PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BELGRAVIA STUDIO HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT ALBUM PRINT
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD MAENABB GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS BROADWAY 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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