Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Geo. W. Wise Young Mustached Man In Suit Janesville Wi
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s The Ideal Victorian Woman High Collar Dress Boston Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Thompson Young Woman Bust Ruffled Collar Orange Mass.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Caldwell Older Woman High Collar Dress Frankfort Ky
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s W. Aldensmith Dapper Young Man High Collar Boston Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Beecher Young Man In Suit & Tie Portrait Leominster Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Snow & Mcdermott Older Woman Lace Collar Haverhill Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hanson Young Woman In High Collar Dress Bust Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Mclellan Little Girl Lace Collar South Berwick Me
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Curly Toddler In White Christening Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Worcester Victorian Seated Couple Formal Caribou Me
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s L. N. Hill Bearded Man In Suit & Bow Tie So. Berwick Me
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Three Boys Victorian Suits & Sailor Outfit Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Pattidge Young Woman Victorian Lace Collar Boston Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Augusta Brooks Bull Young Woman High Collar Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s O. A. Mulvane Seated Infant In White Gown Raymond Ne
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Woman In High Neck Dress Lace Collar Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Wheeler Elderly Woman In High Collar Dress Goshen Ny
Cabinet Card 1890s Unknown Boy & Infant Victorian Dress Unmarked Location
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Chas. Brockway Young Man In Suit & Tie Hillsboro Nh
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s R.b. Lewis Young Boy W/ Bow & Wicker Chair Hudson Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Medbery Ewell Young Seated Woman Portrait Providence Ri
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s N.l. Stone & Son Woman High Neck Dress Potsdam Ny
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Woman In Ruffled Puffed Gown Unmarked Location
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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