German silver repeating coach clock with alarm Circa 1750

Coach clock made by Joseph Spiegel
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A German silver repoussé hour repeating coach clock with alarm, circa 1750. Full plate movement with barrel/gut/fusee for going train, verge escapement, two florally engraved barrels for hour repeater and alarm, two hammers, an elaborately open worked balance cock with depictions of a hussar on horseback and other attributes of war and a three armed steel balance. Silver champlevé dial with Roman and Arabic numerals, central turnable alarm disc and decorative hands. Case back with mythological scene depicting Urania, the muse of astronomy drawing a fortification, with Calliope, muse of poetry and science, in a garden near the sea with a ship flying the Union Jack behind them on the water, sound holes filled with volutes and rocailles decorate the edge, pierced edges, rear bell. Comes with period winding key.
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Diameter: 105 mm
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Weight: 861 g
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Signed: Miroir London
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This coach clock was produced in Friedberg by Joseph Spiegel, however, he translated his name in French, Miroir, and added the designation “London” to his signature like an English 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 London, Paris or Augsburg.
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Joseph Spiegel, 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.
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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.