Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Little Boy Portrait Sweater & Large Bow Marlboro Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Perkinson Young Woman Portrait High Collar New York Ny
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Smyth Young Woman In High Collar Dress Milbridge Maine
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. E. Bronson 3 Jackman Children Boys & Girl Lima Ny
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Wm. A. Webster Older Woman High Collar Dress Waltham Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s R. B. Lewis Young Woman Ruffled High Collar Hudson Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s W.g.c. Kimball Bearded Man W/ Bow Tie Suit Concord Nh
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s E. P. Richardson Seated infant i Marlboro, Massachusett
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s R.b. Lewis Dapper Sepia Boy In Suit & Scarf Hudson Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Boy In Sailor Blouse Large Bow & Cap In Lap Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Partridge Young Woman High Collar Blouse Boston Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Partridge Elderly Woman Lace Collar Brooch Boston Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Noble Mature Woman High Collar Dress Lincoln Nebraska
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Lewis Young Boy Formal Suit & Bow Tie Hudson Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hayden Young Woman High Collar Blouse Lincoln Nebraska
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hardy Mature Woman In High Collar Dress Boston Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Davis Young Woman In High Collar Dress New York Ny
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Teen Girl In White Veil Communion Dress Posed Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Dean Bare Chested Infant In Diaper Williamsport Pa.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s H. H. Hill Young Man In Three Piece Suit Hamilton Ny
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Kellmer Baby In White Gown On Wicker Chair Hazleton Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Couple Man Mustache Woman Puff Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Chas. A. Saylor Seated Young Woman Portrait Reading Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s H. P. Kirk Woman Dot Dress & Lace Collar Mason City Ia
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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