Robbie, Malcom Cole and Julian Dyer urged me to contribute the
following.  Perhaps you'd like to break it up into smaller sections.

 [ Indeed, I have, so that the subjects may be indexed separately
 [ in the MMD Archive.  -- Robbie

I've been enjoying the MMD for some time; recent topics have prompted
me to introduce myself and offer a few comments.

I've been involved with player pianos since the late 60s when, while
looking for a practice upright, I acquired a very rare Hupfeld Animatic
Clavitist.  I swapped it -- there were only about six rolls surviving in
the UK which fitted it -- with Frank Holland for a Weber Duo-Art grand,
and never looked back!  Since then I've been involved with the Player
Piano Group and the Pianola Institute and know several contributors
to the MMD well.

The Duo-Art is more sophisticated than most people realise, but like
others who learned the piano I particularly admire the Themodist
Pianola.  I have some splendid instruments, though I'm not a collector
-- they just seemed to come my way.  I've never paid more than a few
hundred pounds for one, and I haven't a clue what they're worth.  It's
their musical abilities that absorb me most.

In the 70s, while working in the City (of London) after coming down
from University, I was really fortunate to have been given a virtual
apprenticeship in piano renovation by the late Lionel Box, who between
the wars was Bechstein's top technician in Britain and, until his death
in 1976, was Boesendofer's concert tuner.  He was a good friend who
upheld the highest standards of workmanship, and knew a vast amount
of piano lore that now seems forgotten.

Very early I discovered that there was much anecdote about player-
pianos, but little in-depth information.  So I've spent 30 years
happily researching, and interviewing surviving personnel.  My chief
interest is "cerebral archeology" -- trying to discern what led
engineers to configure designs the way they did ...

Paddy Handscombe
London

 [ Welcome aboard the Good Ship MMD, Paddy.  Your articles have
 [ information which is certainly not well-known here in the States;
 [ now it will be in the MMD Archive for researchers around the
 [ world.  I'm glad you've joined us, and thanks for sharing your
 [ knowledge!  --  Robbie