non-traditional materials for piano keys

[mjonesmckean]

Hello all !

I'm in the early phases of research, looking into non-traditional materials that have been used for piano keys over the years - perhaps rare, or elaborate materials for special pianos not intended for a mass market. Curious if anyone here has any awareness, even anecdotally - of non-traditional materials being used for piano keys?

thanks so much for your time and care,
Michael

[Barrie Heaton]

It seems that around 1700 ivory was used for key covering at times. Many and varied materials have been used for this purpose, including bone, mother-of-pearl, porcelain, tortoise-shell, silver, boxwood, cedar, ebony, pear and other rare and polished woods. At times the fronts of the naturals were beautifully carved. In 1816 a set of new replacement keys for a Broadwood grand would have cost £3 s0 d0, and for a square £2 s15 d0.
from
https://www.piano-tuners.org/history/compass.html

[Bill Kibby]

Earky forms of plastic were in use by the 1860s. This was not, of course, about saving elephants, it was to compensate for the shortage of dead elephants.