Lot 282

Joseph Spiegel in Friedberg (Miroir, London), 107 x 93 x 65 mm, circa 1750
A hexagonal horizontal table clock with quarter repeater, created by a renowned maker in Friedberg, who we otherwise only know as a maker of coach clocks and pocket watches
Case: firegilt brass case, screwed on voluted decor and glazed windows to the sides, voluted feet, rear bell. Dial: enamel. Movm.: hexagonal brass movement, chain/fusee, 3 barrels, 2 hammers, verge escapement, three-arm brass balance.
"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 "Mirroir". 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.
Provenance: Landrock Collection

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