pianoforte hammers

[Delwin D Fandrich]

So, another question.

Stephen,

Drawings and photographs I've seen of the Cristofori hammer action show a
hammer made of a paper (parchment) ring with a leather (buckskin) covering.
It was the leather covering that actually struck the string.

Were all of Cristofori's instruments built with this type of hammer? Or did
he switch to what seems to have become the standard for, what? a century or
so, of a wood molding with one or two layers of covering leather (buckskin)?

I should think that the original--I would guess, highly flexible--Cristofori
hammer would have the capacity for a somewhat broader dynamic range than the
subsequent, much more rigid wood/leather hammers. I would also guess it
would not be capable of quite as much power.

Del