Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Two Women in Hats by House Front Porch Outside
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Loughridge Cute Child With Hat Austin Texas
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s H.A. Carter Village Town Landscape West Swanzey NH
Cabinet Card Walker Handsome Firefighter Uniform Fishkill Landing NY 1880s
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s O.C. Kerr Handsome Man with Mustache Yates Center KS
Cabinet Card Walker Handsome Firefighter in Uniform Fishkill Landing NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s T.H. Sullivan Lawman Wearing Badge Mustache Indiana
Cabinet Card G.H. Newton Handsome African American Man Railroad Photographer
Cabinet Card C. 1890s S.L. Courtney Handsome African American Man North Topeka K
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Handsome African American Man with Mustache Alma Mich
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Guitwits Civil War GAR Veteran Richfield Springs NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s De Young U.S. Navy Soldier in Uniform Medaled NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Rockwood Civil War GAR Veteren in Uniform Medaled NY
Cabinet Card 1902 Naval Commander Thomas McLean in Uniform Holding Sword
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Princess of Alexandria With Her Four Dogs London UK
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s F.R. Case Family Group Outside Beatrice Nebraska
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s B.L. Moore Old Lady In Glasses Eureka Illinois
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s G.D. Clark Young Lady With Bow Goodland Kansas
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Children In Fancy Dresses Deadwood South Dakota
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Clark Handsome Firefighter in Uniform Indianapolis Ind.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Moulton Cute Girl In Dress Toy Cat Fitchburg Mass
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s African American Man with Mustache In Suit Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Handsome African American Man In Suit Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Handsome African American Man In White Suit and Tie
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.
Have Cabinet Cards to sell?
We buy cabinet card singly or by the lot. Send a few photos and we'll have an offer back in 24–48 hours.
Get an offer →