One of the Ampicos I am working on has peculiar cloth on the striking
pneumatics.  They are covered the rubber coated side of the cloth
facing inward and there is a silver coating on the outside.  At first
I thought someone had painted them with aluminized roofing paint.

The owners of the piano assured me that it has been in the family since
it was new (they even produced a bill of sale: $750.00 in 1927) and had
never been worked on.  Closer inspection showed that the coating was
very even, showing that was applied to the cloth during its manufacture.
What is remarkable is the condition -- it looks, works and feels as if
it was put on yesterday.

This action has been in a very dry environment. In fact, the glue is
so dried out that the pneumatics just fall off the deck boards with a
slight touch, and all the leathers and gaskets are powder.  This cloth
should be hard as a rock.  If it wasn't for the mouse damage and general
condition of the stack, I'd be almost tempted to leave the cloth on there
just to see how long it lasts.

Does anyone have any information about this cloth, what is the coating,
how it was developed or why they quit using it?

Brian Thornton - Short Mountain Music Works
Woodbury, TN
http://www.shortmountainmusic.com/