Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Antique Cabinet Card Yu Shteinberg Young Russian Woman High Neck St Petersburg
Antique Cabinet Card Gardner & Frey Woman Oval Cameo Brooch Hair Ribbon Utica NY
Antique Cabinet Card John C Ahrens Young Woman Curly Hair Yonkers Yonkers N.Y.
Antique Cabinet Card Edgar Draper Family Group Portrait Wicker Chair Children
Antique Cabinet Card Wm A Fermann Woman Curly Hair Velvet Dress Stoughton WI
Antique Cabinet Card Aufrecht Cute Baby in White Gown Chair Allegheny City PA
Antique Cabinet Card Gendron Woman Ruffled Lace Collar Bow Photo Westerly RI
Antique Cabinet Card Bailey Rosenfield Woman Puffed Sleeves Rochester NH
Antique Cabinet Card Little Girl Pleated Dress Lace Collar Boots Studio Backdrop
Antique Cabinet Card C E Shorey Baby Infant Long Lace Christening Gown Lynn MA
Antique Cabinet Card Saylor's New York Gallery Woman Portrait Reading PA
Antique Cabinet Card George M Bretz Elegant Woman Beaded Bodice Pottsville PA
Antique Cabinet Card Portrait Woman Scalloped Card Drop Earring Necklace
Antique Cabinet Card Kopke Young Boy Sailor Suit Standing Chair Brooklyn NY
Antique Cabinet Card Williams Young Victorian Girl Pleated Skirt New York NY NY
Antique Cabinet Card Montignani Baby Long Gown Gown Wicker Chair Bridgeport CT
Antique Cabinet Card E Histed Two Girls Matching Bangs Pittsburgh Allegheny PA
Antique Cabinet Card Cutler Woman High Collar Velvet Trim Morrisville VT
Antique Cabinet Card Bowman Cute Baby White Eyelet Dress Mahanoy City PA
Antique Cabinet Card Hoffman Dapper Young Man 3-Piece Suit Shenandoah PA OH
Antique Cabinet Card Baby Long Christening Gown Gown Lace Floral Armchair Photo
Antique Cabinet Card Wilke Studio Boy Knee Pants Suit Knickers Chicago IL
Antique Cabinet Card Nast Baby Infant Long Lace Christening Gown Denver Colo
Antique Cabinet Card Thorson Baby White Gown Wicker Chair Photo Des Moines IA
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 →