Every picture tells a story

 I have a soft spot for old photographs. On our treasure hunting forays, I always stop to inspect the faded photo album or the cardboard box stuffed with negatives. I don't claim to be an expert on photography over the ages, but I do consider myself a fan of the medium. Whether tintypes, cabinet cards or kodachrome prints—formal portraits, casual snapshots or carefully crafted compositions—photographs offer a window into history that narratives simply can't.

Here are some reasons why I rescue and resell photographs in our Cool Vintage Finds Store on eBay.

A glimpse of people in the past

Perpetually curious about people and places over time, I'm drawn to images that show a slice of life from an earlier era. Armchair anthropologists like myself actually enjoy looking at vintage photographs. Hair and clothing styles are telltale signs of the decade. It's the subject matter that counts. How people are posed—where and with whom—can also speak volumes. Collectors are especially avid about old photographs of famous people, military personnel, people in trades (and quirky fields such as the circus or burlesque), ethnic groups and amusing family gatherings.

For the love of planes, trains and automobiles

Photographs that capture earlier modes of transportation are always a hit with collectors in that category. We recently purchased and have been selling a raft of locomotive ephemera that includes old railroad timetables, internal memos as well as photographs from the Minnesota Rail Fan's Association. While they may appeal to a small group, these items are increasingly hard to find in good condition.

Discover art in the composition

Anyone can snap a photograph, but not everyone can create a work of art in doing so. I'm inclined to save photographs that use creative composition to capture the beauty, diversity, joy and sorrow of life around the world.

Let me know in the comments section if you too are passionate about old photographs and what you look for as a buyer and/or collector.