Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Scholten Baby In Lace White Dress Seated St. Louis Mo
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Lon Blackburn Young Man In 3 Piece Suit Youngstown Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Victorian Couple Middle Aged Man & Woman Liverpool Uk
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. B. Scholl Woman & Young Boy In Dress Chicago Il
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s F. E. Post Young Woman W/ Pearl Choker Denver Colo.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Man Standing In Dark Suit W/ Chair Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Barner Young Boy In Suit W/ Boutonniere Galena Illinois
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s H. Rothberger Woman Lace Collar Portrait Denver Co
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s King Infant In Lace Christening Gown Marietta Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Bellsmith Young Woman Ruffled High Collar Denver Co
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hughes Adolescent Boy In Suit & Bow Tie Table Rock Neb.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Miller Young Man Teen Dapper Formal Suit Tiffin Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s G. W. Mcdonald Little Girl Plaid Dress Denver Colo.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Fischer Toddler & Baby In Sailor Dresses St. Louis Mo
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Nast Infant In White Christening Gown Denver Colorado
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s C. C. Spaulding Boy W/ Tambourine Suit Battle Creek Ne
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Chubby Infant In Lace Gown On Fur Prop Denver Colorado
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Henry Frey Young Girl In Victorian Dress Scranton Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Vahlteich Blond Boy In Sailor Suit On Chair Chicago Il
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s C. S. Roshon Young Boy In Plaid Suit & Bow Lebanon Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Thomas Young Women Lace Collars Victorian Racine Wi
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Schartel Seated Infant White Gown On Chair Lebanon Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Thwaites Young Woman In High Collar Dress Portland Or
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Roshon Infant In Lace Christening Gown Lebanon Pa
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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