Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
C. 1890s CABINET CARD INDIAN WARS SOLDIER HOLDING RIFLE AMERICAN FLAG PATRITOTIC
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A. Wheeler Old Lady In Dress Unadilla NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s G.H. Howes Young Lady In Dress Ithaca NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Burns Handsome Young Man in Suit Eau Claire WI
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Semple Cute Baby In Dress Albany NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unknown Gorgeous Lady In Fancy Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Lyon Gorgeous Lady In Dress Saginaw Michigan
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Man with Mustache In Suit Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Shultz Children In Plaid Warsaw Missouri
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s John Brown Old Woman Wearing Scarf Wheeling WV
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Moor Gorgeous Lady In Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Beckmann Husband and Wife Saginaw MI
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unknown Cute Boy and Baby Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s H.L. Stone Handsome Man In Suit Potsdam NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unknown Gorgeous Lady In Fancy Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Decker & Wilber Cute Baby In Gown Cleveland Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s MacIntire Old Lady In Dress Philadelphia PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s R.A. Lewis Handsome Man In Suit Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Freeman Handsome Man with Mustache Norfolk VA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s M.A. Cobleigh Gorgeous Lady Littleton NH
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J.W. Glin Cute Baby In Dress Perry NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Kitchen Gorgeous Lady In Dress Littleton NH
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Chapman Handsome Man In Suit Westfield Mass
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s M.O.T. Coleman Two Ladies In Dresses Westfield MA
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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