Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s G.a. Ingram Jr. Elder Gentleman In Suit Brynmawr Wales
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s W. H. Bridle Middle Aged Man In Bowler & Suit Phila Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s D.c. Burnite Formal Victorian Couple Harrisburg Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Cochran Wm. George Hulbert Boy In Coat & Cap Phila. Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Mature Mustached Man In Suit & Tie Davenport Iowa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Girl In White Dress Holding Book Gloves Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Sarony Mustached Middle Aged Man In Suit New York Ny
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Three Children Boy In Suit Girl & Toddler Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Read & Sanderson Standing Middle Aged Man Nashua Nh
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Mother In Dutch Bonnet & Apron W/3 Children Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Girl In Ruffled Dress Leaning On Table Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Mustachioed Man In Hat & Three Piece Suit Superior Wi
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Middle Aged Mustached Man In Suit & Vest Binghamton Ny
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s J.a. Cooley Mustached Man In Formal Suit Cooperstown Ny
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Geo. H. Fowler Bearded Man Dark Coat Charlotte Mich.
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s A.r. Moore. Child In White Dress Reclining Gilroy Ca
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Millard Young Adult Mustached Man In Suit Scranton Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Felix Young Woman Vict. High Collar Bow St Joseph Mo
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s A.madsen 2 Young Women Matching Dresses S. Omaha Neb.
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Petersen Bearded Man & Woman Victorian Dress Omaha Neb.
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Millard Mustachioed Man Pinstripe Suit Scranton Pa
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Kopke Serene Young Woman Lace Bodice Brooch Brooklyn Ny
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s J. A. Brush Mustached Man W/ Bowler Hat Minneapolis Mn
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Wilh. Mayr Father With Three Children Bad Kreuznach
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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