Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HANDSOME BEARDED AFRICAN AMERICAN BLACK MAN IN SUIT
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MEN SIGNMAKERS USING FOUTAIN PENS PLAINFIELD INDIANA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD QUINCY GORGEOUS AFRICAN AMERICAN BLACK WOMEN PALMYRA MO.
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD PHILPOT LITTLE GIRL STANDING NEXT TO PHOTOS SANFORD ME.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ALLEN & ROWELL CUTE YOUNG GIRL HOLDING DOLL BOSTON MA.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD MAN AND LADIES ON ROWBOAT IN RIVER NAMED UNMARKED
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD LLOYD STUDIO FAMILY OUTING GROUP ON ROCK FACE BYRD
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD GORGEOS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS ON PORCH WITH SMALL DOG
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DEVENPORT FAMILY MOTHER AND HER CHILDREN WAXACHIE TEXAS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD FREEMAN LOVELY MOTHER AND HER BABY DENSION TEXAS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ERIKSON CUTE YOUNG GIRL WITH TEASET CHICAGO ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD LOVELY LITTLE GIRL LAYING ON HER MOTHER LONDON ENGLAND
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD THREE MEN RIDING ON HORSEBACK WITH DOG OLD WEST
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LITTLE GIRL WITH BOYKIN SPANIEL DOG ALLEGHENY CITY PA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FLOYD FAMILY AT HUNTING FISHING LODGE LOCK HAVEN PA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD FAMILY ON FISHING TRIP IN ROWBOAT ON THE RIVER UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MAUGANS YOUNG BOY HOLIND BELL DE GRAFF OHIO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD E.J. POTTER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS MANSFIELD OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DOWNS BROS PHOTOGRAPHER IN PICTURE? UNIONTOWN PA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DOWNS BROS HANDSOME MAN WITH MUSTACHE OUTSIDE HOUSE PA.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD OLDER MAN IN SUIT SITTING OUTSIDE TIPPING HIS HAT
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD POWELL GIRL GIVING SISTERS "TALK TO THE HAND" WISCONSIN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD F.J. WURMSER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS FINDLAY OHIO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD UHMAH GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS ST. JOSEPH MISSOURI
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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