Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s L. W. Cook Young Man In Suit W/ Watch Chain Boston Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Cobb Mature Victorian Woman Lace Collar Binghamton Ny
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s E. Chickering Victorian Woman Plaid Dress Boston Ma
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s W.h. Baker Young Lady Lace Collar Portrait Saratoga Ny
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Young Man 20s Dark 3 Piece Suit Watch Chain Unmarked
Cabinet Card 1880s Shadle & Busser 3 Victorian Children Formal Dress York Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s W. H. Towne Infant In White Lace Dress Portland Or
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Strunk Young Woman High Collar Dress Brooch Reading Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Lee Bros Young Girl In Lace Dress & Boots Mahanoy Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Mereness & Winans Teen Boy Dark Suit & Hat Oneonta Ny
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s T. P. Stiff Young Woman Lace Collar Brockton Mass.
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s J.m. Gregory Young Woman Cross Necklace Louisville Ky
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s G.s. North Young Woman Lace Portrait South Norwalk Ct
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Schartel Seated Toddler In Lace Collar Dress Lebanon Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Mahan Young Woman High Collar Dress Pittsburgh Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Fritz Young Woman Vict. Buttoned Bodice Reading Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Boy In Velvet Suit & Big Bow Standing Portrait Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s New York Gallery Infant Seated In Lace Gown Reading Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s H. E. Stevenson Young Man Three Piece Suit Palmyra Ill.
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Young Woman Lace High Collar Jacket Photo Des Moines Ia
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Young Woman Curly Hair High Collar Dress Easton Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Rabineau Young Woman High Collar Brooch Albany Ny.
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s H. Schwabe Young Girl Pleat Dress Lace&collar Omaha Ne
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Young Man In Three Piece Suit Hands On Hip Unmarked
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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