Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Antique Cabinet Card C H Townsend Young Man Suit Bowtie Willimantic Conn
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Antique Cabinet Card W P Johnson Three Children Frank Ina Evert Salem Salem OR
Antique Cabinet Card Crawford Young Man Plaid Tie Suit Albany or Albany OR
Antique Cabinet Card Partridge Young Man Three Piece Suit Portland OR
Antique Cabinet Card Densmore Toddler Girl White Lace Dress Niles Niles Mich
Antique Cabinet Card Portrait Woman Ruffled Dress Bow Tie Earrings Short Hair
Antique Cabinet Card Gogler Woman Beaded Dress Watch Chain Portrait Bowery NY
Antique Cabinet Card Young Boy Dark Buttoned Jacket Urn Pedestal Studio Portrait
Antique Cabinet Card T. P. Stiff Woman Lace Collar Button Dress Brockton Mass
Antique Cabinet Card L. W. Cook Young Man Suit Bow Tie Portrait Boston Boston MA
Antique Cabinet Card Flodin & Thyberg Woman Lace Collar Photo Worcester MA
Antique Cabinet Card Taggard Young Woman Curly Hair High Collar Brooch Lynn MA
Antique Cabinet Card Gregg Woman Curly Hair Portrait Sparkle Trim Rochester NY
Antique Cabinet Card Herman Buchholz Woman Ruffle Collar Springfield Mass
Antique Cabinet Card Girl Fur Trimmed Hat Coat Lace Collar Vignette Portrait
Antique Cabinet Card Family Studio Portrait Mother Seated Book Child Standing
Antique Cabinet Card Handsome Young Man Victorian Suit Studio Tree Backdrop
Antique Cabinet Card Young Man Standing Suit Pedestal Forest Scenic Backdrop
Antique Cabinet Card Handsome Young Man Ring Three Piece Suit Studio Portrait
Antique Cabinet Card Handsome Young Man Plaid Tweed Coat Watch Chain Vignette
Antique Cabinet Card Lm Townsend Baby Infant Lace Gown Chair West Liberty IA
Antique Cabinet Card Smedley Mature Woman Dark Dress Lace Collar Belvidere IL
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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