<HTML><HEAD> <META charset=UTF-8 http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charse= t=utf-8"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff= f"> <DIV>Well, it's time for a little catch-up on the Steinway Mystery Action. P= hil Ford's pictures from the patent were MOST helpful, both in identify= ing it as an actual in-house Steinway action, and in seeing a little better = how it works. It answers Conrad's question about it perhaps being a trial of= a competitor's action which escaped the factory (no). I can't yet answer Bi= ll Ballard about how much of a problem the buried rocker causes, because Mar= cia and I only got a few minutes with it (we were there assessing the broken= lid [another thread]).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The interesting feature seems to be the attempt to make the touch as li= ght as possible, by counter-springing the hammer, and having no wippen. How = well this works at its best I don't yet know. Do I remember some discussion = some time back wondering about springing the hammer?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I e-mailed David Kirkland at the factory and asked if he knew anything,= or if the restoration shop might have a feel for how many of these there we= re. He said "This action almost looks like a "throw-back" to the 1860 constr= uction, because the earlier 1865 and simultaneous 1871 constructions already= incorporated the Erard system.  Between the years of 1858 and 1871 the= re were several Steinway Grand Action patents." I don't know if he aske= d Restoration, so I'm going to bug him again, and now it's got me interested= in those earlier actions to which he referred, so I'm going to look up some= of the patents (listed at <A title=http://www.steinway.com/ href="http:= //www.steinway.com">www.steinway.com</A>) in the Patent Office database (<A = title=http://www.uspto.gov/ href="http://www.uspto.gov">www.uspto.gov</A= >). Their site is partially down at the moment, which is frustrating.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I hope we get to spend some more time with it. If we do, I'll pass on w= hat we find. Barbara Richmond asked if we would work with what's there,= or change to a different action. Even without word from the factory, my sen= se is that this action is uncommon, and historically important enough to con= serve. I wouldn't consider changing to a different style of aciton. I would = consider new hammers and backcheck leather, and replaceable things like key = bushings. I'd put the old parts in a box and suggest they be kept with the p= iano. There are three broken shanks, which I would repair.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thanks to all who replied about this and about the Brown action. It was= a great help. I'll keep you posted.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Bob Davis</DIV></BODY></HTML>