How would you describe this type of ceiling. It is not drywall or plaster.
The home is a 1949 build.
Thanks
It looks like what we used to refer to as “beaver board”.
It was kind of like compressed wood pulp, flaky cardboardish.
How would you report this in a narrative description.
Leave it to beaver board?
Thanks for the response
Sure, beaver board type sheets or compressed wood pulp type sheets ought to work. 
Most likely it is a type of donnacona.
Compressed wood fibers/chips/sawdust made into sheets (poor man’s plywood?). If they are painted they may hold copious amounts of lead paint. These were mainly used for soundproofing.
Other uses included insulating and non-structural interior wall applications.
Earlier styles were .75" to 1.25" thick and held in place with blued nails.
T.Neyedli
www.alphahomeinspections.ca
It’s not hard to tell where you come from Terry. I haven’t heard the term donnaconna in a long time.
Larry