Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Lempke Gorgeous Lady Fancy Dress Haverhill MA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s C.E. Schaffer Gorgeous Lady Poughkeepsie NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unknown Photographer Young Man with Mustache WY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s DeYoung Lady In Dress New York City
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Preucel & Mally Lady In Dress Chicago IL
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s C.O. Erickson Handsome Man in Suit Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s H.A. Bragg Cute Baby In Dress Cadillac Mich.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s G.H. Bakken Handsome Man In Suit Wellman MN
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s R. Bronner Man with Mustache Garden City KS
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A.W. Phipps Gorgeous Lady In Dress New Castle PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A.W. Phipps Gorgeous Lady In Dress New Castle PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Gersen Lady In Dress Philadelphia PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s P.E. Chillman Gorgeous Lady In Fancy Dress Phila
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Barrett Young Romantic Couple Chatham NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Schroeder Husband Wife Couple Green Bay Wis
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Man With Baby On Lap Wearing Hat Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s George Hall Cute Baby In Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s F.W. Schneider Cute Baby In Dress Green Bay WI
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s E.N. Hills Old Lady Elegant Syracuse NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Chas. Cherney Lady In Dress Kewaunee WI
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Chas. Cherney Cute Child in Dress Kewaunee Wis
Cabinet Card C. 1890s A.M. Allen Cute Child In Dress Holding Doll Pottsville PA
Cabinet Card C. 1890s Chapman Odd Children Holding Bust on Sofa Stanton Michigan
Cabinet Card Circa 1860s A.S. Bechtold Old Cross-Eyed Lady In Dress Reading PA
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 →