[ In MMDigest 010704 Marc Elbasani asked about the red cloth
 [ often found in American and European organs.

Uh, this might be quite an interesting issue.  I'm right now a bit
puzzled, but let me think about it. ... Okay, so it might be the case,
that this method of covering originated from Europe, but I even might
want to think it comes from a more southeast location than that.

I am positive that "red cloth" of all different kinds of materials was
used, from maybe even silk to something like "Filz", which is found at
the back of

(1) Waldkirch organs and

(2) Spanish street pianos (this might be the source of the idea?!).

( Editor, What's the translation of "Filz", eh?  :-)

 [ My dictionary says that Filz is cloth felt or matting (maybe also
 [ of wool scraps), but Filz can also mean the disc of reclaimed
 [ (salvaged) paper or carton which is placed on the table under a
 [ glassful of cold German beer: der Bierdeckel -- "Ein Filz unter dem
 [ Pils!"  Ja, this topic deserves more research!  -- Robbie  :->

It is also found as well in the front, as inlay in decorations and/or
openings for sound (later the material might have been substituted for
or integrated with glass or mirrors, or later on with pictures) in

(3) Waldkirch organs, especially hand-cranked organs, and in

(4) all sorts of instruments by the Berlin manufacturers (Frati,
Bacigalupo, etc., although this is the one I'm not as sure about
from here), and from

(5) many others, including the rest of Germany and Bohemia and
other East European builders, as well as Southern European to nearby
Southeastern countries like Turkey, (especially also for
"Rueckenklaviere", the "back pianos").

Maybe we can get some more insight from our other friends in France,
Belgium and Netherlands as well as even England, if they can list
instruments built in their country with this "feature".

I will be looking forward to hear from our Waldkirch friends, Jaeger
und Brommer, about whether instruments can be related exclusively to
their city just by examining material and maybe the exact colour-mixture
of red cloth found.

greetings by(e) InK - Ingmar Krause
ERlanger drehORGEL-Trio, Famlie Krause, erorgelt@erlangen.franken.de

 [ I'd like to know the description of modern cloth suitable for
 [ restorations, and where it can be purchased.  -- Robbie