Piano rolls can be damaged by a defective tracker system.  One problem
might be with the tracker pneumatics since the pneumatic cloth can have
become dry and stiff from age.  Tracker holes can be obstructed by dust
or bits of paper and should be cleaned out from time to time, preferably
with a tracker bar vacuum pump originally sold by the Player Piano Co.
A piano supply house or restorer might be able to supply one.  A vacuum
cleaner would create too much suction that could damage the piano's
innards.

I have rolls that are nearly 100 years old that play beautifully on my
over 100 year old Lauter-Humana player.  Good thing!  The paper is
brittle and it wouldn't take much to tear them apart.

Peter Vander Veld