What is a cabinet card?
Cabinet cards are easily identifiable as sturdy card-mounted photographs. These portraits came in various sizes, some as small as 3 x 3 inches, and others large as 8 x 10 inches. Cabinet cards (including CdV) were more affordable and durable than other forms of photography, and had relatively quick production times. The photos were albumen prints mounted onto cardstock backing that sometimes featured ornate borders and studio branding. Cabinet cards remained most popular during the 1890’s to 1910’s period.
Cabinet card circa 1890’s
4 x 5.5in photo on 4.25 x 6.5in card
Portrait of William T. Pruett (1868-1945) and wife Susan H. Watson Pruett (1863-1933) of Weal, Virginia.
Cabinet card circa 1900
2.625 x 3.625in circular photo on 5.25 x 7.25 card
Portrait of William T. Pruett (1868-1945), a tobacco farmer who lived in Weal, Virginia.
Cabinet card circa 1885
1 x 2in photo on 3 x 3.5in card
Portrait of Sidney J. “Sid” Pruett (1867-1929) of Pittsylvania County, VA.
Cabinet card circa 1900
2.75 x 3.75in photo on 4.25 x 6in card
Portrait of Sidney J. “Sid” Pruett (1867-1929) of Pittsylvania County, VA.
Studio label: “Danville Photo Co.”
Cabinet card circa 1900
5 x 7in photo on 8 x 10in card
Portrait of John B. Pruett (1873-1960) of Weal, Virginia.
Studio label: “Dearing, Chatham, VA.”
Cabinet card circa 1905
2.625 x 3.625in photo on 5.25 x 7.25 card
Portrait of Ida Pruett (1886-1980) of Pittsylvania County, VA.
Cabinet card circa 1909
5.5 x 4in photo on 6.5 x 4.25in card
Portrait of the family of William E. “Buck” Watson (1869-1935) and Rosa B. Green (1877-1946). Children left to right are David E., Lillian B., Janie S., Jessie E., and Albert S. Watson.
Cabinet card circa 1910’s
5 x 4in photo on 6.5 x 5.5in card
Portrait of farmers & laborers in the Dry Fork community of Pittsylvania County, Virginia.
Cabinet card circa 1910’s
5.5 x 4in photo on 6.5 x 4.25in card
Portrait of railroad workers at Dry Fork Depot in Pittsylvania County, VA.
Cabinet card circa 1910’s
5 x 3.75in photo on 5.75 x 4.5in card
Portrait of a moonshine still in the woods near Dry Fork, VA.
Cabinet card circa 1905
7 x 5in photo on 7.5 x 5.5in card
Portrait of John Hutchings “Hutch” Pigg (1857-1936) & workers feeding hogs near Dry Fork, VA.
Cabinet card photo circa 1905
7 x 5in photo on 7.5 x 5.5in card
Portrait of Pigg Distillery, featuring John Hutchings “Hutch” Pigg (1857-1936) pouring a jug full of whiskey, several workers, and Hutch’s nephews near Dry Fork, VA.
Cabinet card circa 1905
2.25 x 3.75in photo on 4.25 x 6in card
Portrait of George Thomas Herndon (1888-1965) of Pittsylvania County, VA. He married Lou Nettie Hearp (1888-1953).
Cabinet card circa 1899
2.25 x 3.75in photo on 3.5 x 5.25in card
Portrait of Nellie Jane Herndon (1886-1936) who later married John Coleman Jones (1884-1942) of Pittsylvania County, VA.
Studio label: “Rice, 421 Main St. Danville, VA.”
Cabinet card circa 1900
2 x 2.75in photo on 3 x 4.25in card
Portrait of Narcissa L. Elliott (1843-1907) wife of Henson T. Stowe (1836-1909) of Pittsylvania County, VA.
Cabinet card 1890
4 x 5.5in photo on 4.25 x 6.5in card
Portrait of Raleigh Thomas Stowe (1865-1945)
Studio label on backside: “G. G. Firesheets, photographer, Nov 10, 1890. South Boston, VA”
Cabinet card circa 1915
5.5 x 4in photo on 6.5 x 4.25in card
Portrait of Henson Craig Stowe (1871-1951), wife Ollie Maude Green (1882-1962), daughter Venie, and baby son J. Craig Stowe.
Cabinet card circa 1910
4 x 5.5in photo on 4.25 x 6.5in card
Portrait of James D. “Jim” Stowe (1873-1937) of Pittsylvania County, VA.
Cabinet card circa 1900
4 x 5.5in photo on 4.25 x 6.5in card
Phillip Elliott Stowe (1873-1956), Roy Cabell Easley (1879-1948), and William Cabell “Buddy” Holley (1874-1934).
Cabinet card circa 1905
2.875 x 5.5in photo on 5.5 x 9in card
Portrait of Whitmell Tunstall “Whit” Stowe (1877-1958) of Pittsylvania County, VA.
Cabinet card circa 1915
3.875 x 5.5in photo on 7 x 9in card
Portrait of “The Willie Stowe Family” of Dry Fork, Virginia.
William Walter Stowe (1879-1935) and Lorena Bell Hearp (1876-1959) with children (left to right) Oscar Raymond, Jessie Lou, and Major McKinley Stowe.
Cabinet card circa 1910
3 x 3in circular photo on 6.5 x 6.5in card
Portrait of Annie Kate Stowe (1883-1944) wife of James Henry Jones (1876-1929) of Dry Fork, Virginia.
Studio label: Danville Gallery, 421 Main St.
Cabinet card circa 1898
4 x 5.5in photo on 4.25 x 6.5in card
Portrait of James Henry Jones (1876-1929) and his wife Annie Kate Stowe Jones (1883-1944).
Studio label: “Rice, Danville, VA. Washington, D. C.”
Cabinet card circa 1905
5.5 x 4in photo on 9 x 7in card
Portrait of the J. H. Jones family at home.
Cabinet card circa 1910
5.5 x 3.75in photo on 8 x 5.75in card
Portrait of J. H. Jones family at their home located in Dry Fork, VA.
Cabinet card circa 1900
3.5 x 5in photo on 5.25 x 7.25in card
Portrait of John Stowe (1884~1925) of Pittsylvania County, VA.
Studio label: “Polencowe’s Studio, Cor. 11th & Main Sts. Lynchburg, VA,”
Cabinet card circa 1909
2.75 x 3.75in photo on 5.25 x 7.25in card
Portrait of Beverley D. Stowe (1887-1963), wife Sirlestal Helen Hearp (1883-1952), and son Hence Stowe of Dry Fork, VA.
Studio label: “Cole, Danville, VA.”
Cabinet card circa 1900
1.75 x 3.625in oval photo on 4.5 x 7in card
Portrait of Sirlestal Helen Hearp (1883-1952) of Pittsylvania County, VA.
Cabinet card circa 1910’s
2.75 x 3.875in photo on 5 x 7.125in card
Two young men playing instruments in a jaunty pose. Both have cigarettes hanging out of their mouths and hats hung on their shoes. The one on the left holds a guitar while his counterpart holds a banjo ready to pick a tune.
Cabinet card circa 1899
2 x 2.75in oval photo on 3.5 x 5in card
Portrait of John Webster Yeatts (1879-1932) of Pittsylvania County, VA.
Cabinet card circa 1890’s
5.5 x 4in photo on 8 x 6in card
Portrait of Dr. Edward D. Withers (1825-1917) & his wife Louisa Coles Withers (1831-1906).