New Buck Ewing cabinet card, provenance needed?

[bigfanNY]

I am not an expert but like many here I have handled thousands of late 1880's baseball cards. Including the LC OJ proofs back in the day when a simple catalog request bought out a cart full of Boxes. So lots of cards over lots of years.
Here on Net54 You were offered for free, opinions by collectors of early CDV's and Cabinets. Folks who spend time and Money learning what to look for and what to avoid. And when you dont like there opinion you become antagonistic. You demand to know each and every persons process for forming their opinions. Demanding they accept facial recognition software that is known to have a long list of faults especially when comparing still photos. But I will do my best to help you progress in this area.
First, I myself was quite impressed by the Doctors analysis of the faces in question. I myself use some of the basic techniques he notes. But he as Dr. Gave me a number of new facial markers that can only help with still photo analysis. If you feel that a computer is best at facial recognition then I would make sure all the comparisons he noted were run by whatever program you use as well. I dont feel that the free facial recognition apps on the web dive deep enough to provide accurate results. So I suggest training your eyes.
Like Doug I also have found that the exercise of comparing and identifying Dam dolls can be helpful in sharpening the eye for this type of analysis. I would buy a case of 50 dolls ( All supposedly identical) and then identify all the differances. Cataloging hair legnth, how believable their smirk is, size and shape of belly button, toes ( Toes is where I struck gold..lots of differences in toes). TypicallyI would spend 15 to 20 minutes to catalog each doll the another 10 minutes or so in comparisonto its mates. I would generally spend a full weekend on one case of Fifty. If you take this up I would be happy to trade notes or offer any help I can. I know it has helped me and feel certin it will help you, as you learn the nuances of comparing still photography. I know this may sound like a basic step and it is that as well as time consuming. But given that your current techniques leed you to conclude that your posted photo is in fact Buck Ewing I believe it can only Help.
J.