Hello MMD readers,  Just saw Robbie's comment that some old Play-Rite
"D" ring cloth tabs rotted on him.

Perhaps there were different runs of these supplies from that Turlock,
Calif., company.  I have used them since the late 1970s, and on all of
my Artcraft rolls since 1982 (save an 'accidental' run, early on, which
had the single-side style of tab, with the company's name printed on
them).  Not one of my "D" ring labels fell apart, and this includes the
rolls I've been repurchasing from former customers and/or on eBay for
re-issuing as "Heirloom Editions".  Many of these rolls are pristine,
dating back to the early 1980s, and, again, not one had any linen cloth
disintegration.

The rolls used for my special Pianola concerts, and for almost one
quarter century at the Musical Wonder House, also got a lot of use,
but being on Auto-Typist paper they held up.  These had the Play-Rite
"D"-ring tabs also, many of which have been on the leaders for over
40 years time.

I have new (old stock) "D"-ring tabs, of course, as well as new boxes,
spools and labels, so can reintroduce my Artcraft Rolls to the market
place again as long as the perforated paper is in mint condition, which
has also been the case so far.  My recycled "Heirloom Edition" rolls
have a leader script stamp which designates this series, plus a second
date stamp just below the original one, most of which date from
1982-1989 at this point.

The rolls duplicated for me by Givens-Gourley in the early 1960s have also
never had any problems with their roll tabs.  These were under the "Old
Salzburg" label, named for our shop in Georgetown, D.C., at that time.
Perhaps the storage conditions have something to do with rotten linen
cloth?

Regards,
Douglas Henderson - Artcraft Music Rolls
Wiscasset, Maine, USA
http://wiscasset.nnei.net/artcraft/

 [ You may be right, Douglas; the unused labels were casually stored
 [ in a warped piano roll box in my garage.  Moisture and mold spores
 [ might easily have entered the box.  -- Robbie