With the exception of vintage postcards, among the least valuable eBay history items are unidentified early photos. There are zillions of wallet-sized Victorian photographs without a scribbled name on the back. I’ve purchased a few unidentified portraits taken by downtown Portsmouth studios, but only if the sitters looked especially interesting. They might have a curious face, be dressed in a peculiar way, be surrounded by interesting props, or holding a pet.
Without the name, the photos have little value to genealogists as well. Only the studio logo and address on the back offers a clue to the date, which is a tiny clue to the subject. And then there is the nagging hope that, after decades of studying the faces of our forebears, I might recognize someone from the past, which is why we are here today or not.