Of course at first glance we are all thinking handball glove. The tornado palm and buckle back is very distinctive. The piping is what is throwing me. The seller says he was told it was a brakeman's glove but he disagrees. If it is in fact period, or 1880's and a brakeman's glove, then cool!!! Those are the types of "workman's" gloves that were dual purposed for baseball. Those types of gloves are the earliest forms of baseball glove. Remember this?
http://www.baseballglovecollector.com/glove-terminology-ask-the-experts-part-1/Also, remember the Morphy's auction of the motorman or gripman glove/mitt from last month? The actual patent said it can also be used for Base Ball. That's cool. I dig that. Maybe both were used as both a brakeman and baseball glove. If so, I would categorize it as a workmans glove. The question remains though, if this one is in fact a handball glove. The piping doesn't look right to me to be 1880's but that doesn't mean anything. The distinctive lower front edge should be able to match up to a catalog.
Mike, put on your research hat. I'll do the same and I'll meet you at the finish line.
JD