Asbestos in plaster ceiling?

[Stg75]

Hello! A section of our ceiling came crashing down today. I’m concerned about asbestos and am hoping you all may be able to help. House built in 1929. I know that original would not have had asbestos but don’t know how to tell if any layers were added. It has a beige coat (applied to wood lath) 1/4”, a white/gray coat 1/4”, a mesh netting, and a very thin white veneer coat. I can’t seem to upload a photo but will try again in a comment. I don’t know if this would’ve been original aside from the thin outer coat or if the two layers of thicker coat would mean it had been redone after 1929. Thanks for your advice!

[Stg75]

Okay, I am able to add images here. I realize we can’t really visually identify asbestos content. But I’m hoping to identify if these layers would be original (aside from thin coat which doesn’t seem like it would have asbestos in it). 

[Bill Kibbel]

It looks like a typical 3-coat plaster-on-lath application. The first coat (that keys into the lath) is usually the only layer that has fibers added.  The fibers are almost always cattle, goat or horse hair.

[Stg75]

Thanks, Bill! That was my hope. I found a lab in town that does bulk sample testing and could analyze a piece today though they are not at the certified level of somewhere in VA that another co was going to send it but take several days (like 5 bc of weekend). The local lab found no asbestos. Given also that all signs lead to original 1929 plaster work, I think I can put my anxiety to rest now. There were a few hairs I noticed in that first coat with the keys, presumably as you say cattle or horse. If that’s really the only layer where fibers would’ve been added to then I think that’s another indication of original 1929 job. Thanks for your comment!