Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s O.D. Fairbanks Lady In Dress Adrian Michigan
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s H. Larock Husband and Wife Lewiston ME
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s E.H. Tansley Husband and Wife Elegant Outfit
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s E.D.H. Schutter Couple Fancy Dress Rochester NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s S.L. Dellinger Handsome Man with Mustache
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Handsome Man In Suit Unknown Standing
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Johnston Cute Child Fancy Dress New Castle PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s G.H. Norton Old Lady In Dress Amsterdam NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Dummer Young Handsome Man In Suit New York
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s L.W. Felt Handsome Man In Suit Chicago
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Cute Child In Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s DeYoung Handsome Young Man In Suit New York NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A. Newman Lady In Dress Philadelphia PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1860s J. Maul Cute Boy In Fancy Outfit Cattails Chicago IL
Cabinet Card 1890s Fessenden & Nachbour Twin Sisters in White Dresses Chicago
Cabinet Card Grossbaugh Men & Boys Playing Instruments Drinking Greenville PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1860s J. Fauten Young Man with Mustache Fargo ND
Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Augustine Handsome Man with Mustache Aspen Colorado
Cabinet Card 1890s H.H. Kidder Young Lady Holding Book in Windowsill Adrian MI
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unknown Cute Girls Holding Parasol Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Geo. De Voll Gorgeous Lady In Costume Utica NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Peschel "The Three Maries at The Tomb" Christian Art
Cabinet Card 1880s O.B. De Morat Priest Reverend Wearing Robes Philadelphia PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1860s D.J. Wilkes Handsome Soldier with Mustache Baltimore MD
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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