Oxidizing Pressure Bar

[Michael Jorgensen]

Hello,
      Just encountered a  1959 Heller console, (Aeolian/Winter), where
the pressure bar was white yellowish chalk which rubbed right away, like
fine talc.  Under this was porous and oxidized, but (hopefully) still
solid.   Is this just the plating or is the whole bar ceasing to exist?
It looked as if someone put chlorine on it, but i figured it was
galvanic corrosion since the strings and pressure bar screws were not
rusty.  Did they intentionally make this the sacrificial metal  or was
this just to save 75 cents?  (I suppose that chalky stuff helped the
strings render some <g>)     I uneventfully raised the pitch a semitone,
but what's the future for this?
-Mike Jorgensen