Ever Heard of Cabinet Cards?

Joined
Nov 26, 2016
Location
central NC
I just recently stumbled across cabinet cards while researching my latest Civil War obsession, vintage hats (maybe a future thread idea). Introduced in the 1860s, cabinet card photographs were similar to carte-de-visites, but considerably larger. They were mounted on cardstock and measured approximately four inches by six inches. Apparently they got their name because they were just the right size to be displayed on a cabinet.

Some cabinet cards depicted landscapes, but most featured portraits of individuals or families. Often mailed to friends and family, they were the precursor to photo postcards and reached the height of their popularity in the 1870s through the 1890s. Early cabinet cards were sepia-toned (see below), but the majority were printed in black-and-white.

Many cabinet cards I have found feature the name and location of the photographer printed on the front of the card underneath the picture. Some have backmarks advertising the photographer, but many have no markings at all. I’ve found some “doozies.” Here’s one of an 1800s (likely 1880s) wedding couple to whet your appetite.

Wedding Couple 1880s-1890s.jpg

From Monovisions


What is sepia-toned?
If you’re like me you have no idea what sepia-toned means. I looked it up and it’s a type of monochrome photographic image in which the picture appears in shades of brown as opposed to greyscale as in a black-and-white image. It was originally produced by adding a pigment made from the Sepia cuttlefish (something else I need to look up) to the positive print of a photograph taken with any number of negative processes.
 
I just recently stumbled across cabinet cards while researching my latest Civil War obsession, vintage hats (maybe a future thread idea). Introduced in the 1860s, cabinet card photographs were similar to carte-de-visites, but considerably larger. They were mounted on cardstock and measured approximately four inches by six inches. Apparently they got their name because they were just the right size to be displayed on a cabinet.

Some cabinet cards depicted landscapes, but most featured portraits of individuals or families. Often mailed to friends and family, they were the precursor to photo postcards and reached the height of their popularity in the 1870s through the 1890s. Early cabinet cards were sepia-toned (see below), but the majority were printed in black-and-white.

Many cabinet cards I have found feature the name and location of the photographer printed on the front of the card underneath the picture. Some have backmarks advertising the photographer, but many have no markings at all. I’ve found some “doozies.” Here’s one of an 1800s (likely 1880s) wedding couple to whet your appetite.

View attachment 144457
From Monovisions


What is sepia-toned?
If you’re like me you have no idea what sepia-toned means. I looked it up and it’s a type of monochrome photographic image in which the picture appears in shades of brown as opposed to greyscale as in a black-and-white image. It was originally produced by adding a pigment made from the Sepia cuttlefish (something else I need to look up) to the positive print of a photograph taken with any number of negative processes.
Sepia-toned is the brownish (sepia) tint of many of these period photos.
 
Not before I googled it.
View attachment 144471

Mercy, he's so ugly, he didn't get hit with the ugly stick, he got whopped with the whole forest! Pardon the Southern humor! :giggle: I couldn't resist! For some reason, this forum tempts me to "speak in Southern" from time to time. I can't explain it, but I blame it on @amweiner and @Jimklag!
 
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I just recently stumbled across cabinet cards while researching my latest Civil War obsession, vintage hats (maybe a future thread idea). Introduced in the 1860s, cabinet card photographs were similar to carte-de-visites, but considerably larger. They were mounted on cardstock and measured approximately four inches by six inches. Apparently they got their name because they were just the right size to be displayed on a cabinet.

Some cabinet cards depicted landscapes, but most featured portraits of individuals or families. Often mailed to friends and family, they were the precursor to photo postcards and reached the height of their popularity in the 1870s through the 1890s. Early cabinet cards were sepia-toned (see below), but the majority were printed in black-and-white.

Many cabinet cards I have found feature the name and location of the photographer printed on the front of the card underneath the picture. Some have backmarks advertising the photographer, but many have no markings at all. I’ve found some “doozies.” Here’s one of an 1800s (likely 1880s) wedding couple to whet your appetite.

View attachment 144457
From Monovisions


What is sepia-toned?
If you’re like me you have no idea what sepia-toned means. I looked it up and it’s a type of monochrome photographic image in which the picture appears in shades of brown as opposed to greyscale as in a black-and-white image. It was originally produced by adding a pigment made from the Sepia cuttlefish (something else I need to look up) to the positive print of a photograph taken with any number of negative processes.
This young man was my grandmother's 1st cousin, taken in New Orleans about 1895. Her aunt had married very well and the children raised flamboyantly.
IMG_2043.JPG
 
There are folks ( Robert P, looking at you! ) who will let you know down to a shoelace what year you're dealing with. Makes me miss James B every time! Your Little Lord Fontleroy is priceless- wonder how many boys revolted when Mother came for them with hot curling tongs and a copy of Godey's.

Love to know why they were called cabinet cards and didn't anyone tell Sherman , well, never mind. That's just a kinda ludicrous effect.

No expert here but think they were around for while? We have war era all the way to my grgrandparent's ' wedding tour ' cabinet cards. Always seems such a shame when they show up orphaned, in antique shops and on Ebay.

Huson cab crd.jpg

Grgrgrandmother, cropped the ' card ' from this, era- DC during the war

Charlotte cab.jpg

Her daughter, Charlotte, died at this age- cabinet card with memorial on the back, used at her funeral.
 
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