Extremely rare Austrian silver repeating coach clock Circa 1740

Repoussé coach clock by Johann Straus
–
An extremely rare and very fine Austrian silver open faced grande sonnerie quarter repeating verge repoussé coach clock with alarm, date and indication of the months and their length, circa 1740. Full plate movement, a double chain and fusee for the going and striking train, an additional barrel for the alarm, three hammers, a verge escapement, silver regulator disc and three-arm brass balance, repeating the hours and quarter hours, release of the repeater through a coaxial button in the pendant. Silver champlevé dial with Roman hours, a central rotating alarm disc, a lever, N/S, to set strike/not strike for the striking train, an aperture for the date at 9, and an aperture for the indication of the month and length of the month at 6. The repoussé case with a pierced rim, a scene from a Roman army camp on the back: a mother holding the hand of her child is on her knees before a Roman commander, the openwork edge is decorated with exquisitely hand-engraved volutes and animals as well as baroque-style cartouches with staffage figures, represented are Pax, the personification of peace with a cornucopia and palm leaf, Minerva goddess of war, Fama, the personification of fame and renown and a Roman soldier, the openwork bezel is decorated with volutes and finely engraved animal vignettes (birds, a lion, whale and dragon) which represent the four elements, a rear bell. Movement signed.
–
Diameter: 112 mm
–
Weight: 1200 g
–
Signed: Johann Straus
–
In Lukas Stolberg’s reference book ‘Die Kutschenuhr’ (The Coach Clock), watchmaker Simon Straus from Vienna is listed. He died in 1779. A coach clock by him is held in the Besançon Watch and Clock Museum. It is highly probable that the maker Johann Straus is a close relative, as the design features are similar. Maybe he was his father.