Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Antique Cabinet Card Standing Young Boy Three Piece Suit Bow Tie Fringed Chair
Antique Cabinet Card Oliver Baby Christening Gown Columbus Jct Columbus Jct IA
Antique Cabinet Card H.M. Smith Profile Portrait Victorian Woman Portland me
Antique Cabinet Card B Etter Handsome Man Mustache Cephas Megien Great Falls NH
Antique Cabinet Card Plaid Dress Girl Standing Studio Settee Rug Portrait Photo
Antique Cabinet Card Scott Klein Elma Norman Brother Sister Philadelphia PA
Antique Cabinet Card Geo Bew Young Woman Ornate Collar Photograph Lititz PA
Antique Cabinet Card A. J. Fisher Elderly Woman Vignette Portrait Towanda PA
Antique Cabinet Card Rote Handsome Young Man Profile High Collar Lancaster PA
Antique Cabinet Card Young Victorian Woman High Collar Dress Brooch Hair Bow
Antique Cabinet Card Stevens Brothers Older Boy Baby Armchair in Logansport Ind
Antique Cabinet Card S. C. Gurnee Ella Dickerson Lace Collar Portrait Marion NY
Antique Cabinet Card C.P. Homrig Two Young Children White Dresses Frankfort in
Antique Cabinet Card C P Homrig's Baby Long White Lace Christening Frankfort in
Antique Cabinet Card Louis N Greenig Elderly Woman Brooch Philadelphia PA
Antique Cabinet Card Portrait Woman Elaborate Updo Hair Lace Collar Earrings
Antique Cabinet Card Yoush Young Victorian Woman Braided Newark NJ Saugerties
Antique Cabinet Card C. R. Baker Boy Knickers Sailor Collar Detroit Detroit MI
Antique Cabinet Card Bramlette Edward William Harriman Brothers Baby Boys Gown
Antique Cabinet Card Masterson Photo Beard Man Suit Scallop Edge Port Jervis NY
Antique Cabinet Card Bartholomew Infant Baby Gown Fur Rug Lansdale PA
Antique Cabinet Card Man Velvet Lapel Coat Vest Bow Tie Vignette Portrait
Antique Cabinet Card Egirt Young Woman Curly Hair Jewelry Port Jervis NY
Antique Cabinet Card Miller Young Woman Earring High Collar Meriden Conn
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 →