Lot 307

Joseph Spiegel in Friedberg

Joseph Miroir à Paris

A Friedberg Repoussé pair-cased coach clock of museum quality, with quarter strike and quarter repeater, alarm and date, created by a renowned maker in Friedberg - with original leather transport case and original winding key

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The back of the case is adorned with a striking, chased motif showing the four elements based on Roman deities: Neptune, Ceres and Vulcanus, and Jupiter as an eagle with Ganymede. Sound holes filled with volutes and rocailles decorate the edge.
This coach clock was produced in Friedberg. Joseph Spiegel, however, translated his name in French (Miroir) and added the designation "Paris" to his signature like a French maker would, to achieve a higher sales price.
In addition to Spiegel, there were another 24 makers in Friedberg at the time whose names (translated or spelled backwards) can be found with a fake designation such as Paris, London or Augsburg.

"Spiegel Joseph, watchmaking apprentice by profession and native of Arnach in county Wolfsegg, Swabia, applied for citizenship of Friedberg on June 9, 1736. Spiegel’s wife Anna is mentioned when their son Johann Sebastian is born in 1737. The watchmaker Sebastian Petz was the child’s godfather. At his wedding on July 9, 1736, Joseph Spiegel was registered as watchmaker from Arnach near Memmingen, Anna Moell (probably Mahl) is listed as his bride. Witnesses were watchmakers Johannes Heckel, Conradus Heckel and Jacobus Strixner from Friedberg.
Joseph Spiegel never signed his watches with his name but with his name Spiegel spelt backwards "Legeips", or with the French translation "Miroir". Locations mentioned are Augsburg, London and Paris. Except for one hexagonal table clock, only carriage clocks are so far known to have been made by Spiegel.
Source: Adelheid Riolini-Unger "Friedberger Uhren" (Friedberg clocks), Museum of Local History Friedberg, Augsburg 1993, p. 178.
Spiegel's clocks can be found in renowned museums and collections all over the world: Friedberg, Museum of Local History;
London, British Museum; Basle, Collection of Dr. Eugen Gschwind; Geneva, Musée de l'horlogerie et de l'émaillerie; Budapest, Museum of Applied Arts; Milan, Museo Leonardo da Vinci; New Jersey (USA), Newark Museum; The John Gershom Parkington Memorial Collection; Vienna, Clock Museum, and many others.