Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Seeley & Wainock Woman In Puff Sleeves Bridgeport Ct
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Saylor Elderly Woman High Collar Dress Reading Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. L. Hammond Young Woman High Neck Dress Lewiston Me
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Little Boy In Sailor Collar Knee Pants Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s New Photo Art Co. Infant 6 Mos. Gown Washington Dc
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Benj. P. Freeman Infant In White Gown Somerville Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Roshon Boy In 3pc Suit Wicker Chair Williamsport Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Portrait Young Boy Double Breasted Coat & Bow Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Fritz Young Vested Man With Patterned Tie Reading Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Strunk Young Woman In Puffed Sleeves & Bow Reading Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s B. Etter Baby In White Gown On Chair Great Falls Nh
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Decker & Wilber Young Woman High Collar Cleveland Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Ely Victorian Woman High Collar Dress Oshkosh Wisconsin
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Jordan Young Victorian Woman W/ Lace Collar New York Ny
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Elderly Woman High Collar Bow Unmarked Location
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Preteen Boy In Suit Bow Tie Portrait Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Seymour Infant In White Christening Gown Jackson Mi
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Woman Lace Ruffled High Neck Dress Boston Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Partridge Young Woman Lace High Neck Choker Boston Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. H. Elliott Young Woman High Lace Collar Columbus Oh
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s W. J. Hargrave Young Woman In Bustle Dress Owego Ny
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s E. T. Brigham Child In White Smocked Dress Wolfboro Nh
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. Paine Mother & 4 Kids Victorian Jackson Michigan
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. M. Wimer Young Woman High Collar Dress Lewistown 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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