Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD EVANS HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT KNOXVILLE PENNSYLVANIA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD MORSE GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS SAN FRANCISCO CALIFONIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD RONALDS HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT SUMNER ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD COULDS HANDSOME YOUNG MAN IN SUIT HAMBURG IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD KAUFFMAN CUTE LITTLE BOY IN SUIT & BOWTIE YORK PENN.
CIRCA 1900s MEMORIAL FUNERAL CABINET CARD CLOSED CASKET FATHER, UNCLE, BROTHER
C. 1890s MEMORIAL FUNERAL CABINET CARD OLD LADY GRANDMOTHER ELIZABETH CAMPBELL
C. 1890s CABINET CARD ASHBAUCHER THREE YOUNG CHILDREN IN WHITE BLUFFTON INDIANA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE CAMPING EATING DINNER AT LONG TABLE
C. 1890s CABINET CARD McDONALD THEATER ACTOR IN COLONIAL OUTFIT DENVER COLORADO
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD N.B. LAWSON BABY IN LONG WHITE DRESS MUSKEGON MICHIGAN
C. 1890s CABINET CARD ROTE CHILD IN WHITE DRESS STANDING LANCASTER PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CITY OF KETTWIG GERMANY LANDSCAPE VIEW DETAILED RARE!
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD PLECKER HANDSOME BEARDED MAN IN SUIT LYNCHBURG VIRGINIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DIERLAMM MAN IN ASTRAKHAN FUR HAT WALKERTON CANADA
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD THREE MEN STANDING ON CANOE AIMING RIFLES AT WATER
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD MEN BUILDING BRIDGE FOR TRAIN TO CROSS RARE!
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD GREEN TEENAGE LEBANESE BOY IN SUIT BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SCHMIDT LITTLE GIRL IN BLACK DRESS COUNCIL BLUFFS IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD TOWNE LADY IN DRESS TROY NEW YORK
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD MAN ON FRONT PORCH STUNNING DETAIL UNMARKED
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD FAMILY PHOTO INFRONT OF SMALL HOUSE UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD OLD AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN IN SUIT OUTSIDE RARE UNMAKRED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD DAVIS AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN IN DRESS DEPOSIT 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.
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 →