Hello MMD.  While removing my Steck's steamboat pump, I found it
convenient also to remove a small valve block with an attached
pneumatic, which was in the way.  I decided that, since it was out of
the piano, I may as well dismantle it in case it needed repairing.

The valve block is trapezoidal in shape, with two sloping sides and
horizontal top and bottom sides.  The single pneumatic is glued to one
of the sloping sides, with a leather gasket separating the two objects,
while the other sloping side is sealed with a piece of striker cloth.

The valve block has two valves; their corresponding pouches seemed
airtight and supple so I simply gave them both a coating of silicone
rubber dissolved in mineral turps.  The leather valve facings seemed
in excellent condition, so I left them alone.

I have recovered the pneumatic, and when I have made a new leather
gasket, I will glue it back into position.

My question is: what is the purpose of the second valve?

I have looked at my Gulbransen Recordo upright, which has an uncannily
similar arrangement.  It also has a trapezoidal-shaped valve chest,
but has pneumatics attached to both sloping sides.  One pulls the
gearbox into Forward; the other into Rewind.  In the spoolbox there are
two buttons, enabling one to select Rewind or Replay.

I rebuilt the Gulbransen about 35 years ago, and I don't think I have
used the replay option since its trial run.  So I was cautious about
trying it out today.  I chose the least appealing Recordo roll in my
collection.  It's called "A Baby's Prayer At Twilight" and is a maudlin
WW1 piece of sentimentality.  The music, played by Zema Randale is okay
and the Gulbransen's Replay facility still works perfectly well, by the
way.

I have to say that I never saw my kids, when babies, displaying any
religious leanings.  They were more interested in crawling to wherever
cupboards might be found, opening them up and strewing the contents all
over the floor.  Our first child also quite enjoyed eating any dead
blowflies she found on windowsills.  In summer, blowflies are in
plentiful supply in Tasmania, and seem intent in gaining access to
one's house, so that they can zoom around inside until they die of
dehydration or exhaustion.

My New York, 1919, Steck has no Replay button in the spoolbox, so
I conclude that this option was not included but that a Rewind/Replay
valve chest was used because it was to hand.  The nipple for the second
valve had a one inch length of tracker bar tubing attached to it, with
a wood screw shoved up it to act as a bung.

I would welcome any comments,

John Phillips in Hobart, Tasmania