INDE FETTE OS

This nice relief picturing a bullock ('INDE FETTE OS' means literally 'IN THE FAT BULLOCK') dates from the 17th century. The original colour of the relief was brown/red, it received its present colours during a renovation in 1967.

A number of butchers settled here in the Grote Hoogstraat in Leeuwarden since the 16th century, which clearly explains the presence of the bullock relief. Meat was sold at the nearby meathall (market?) at the Eewal.
The house was built in 1664 in Renaissance style, and -like the relief- renovated in 1967.

Sun and head

A double relief stone seen in the Oudestraat 154 in Kampen picturing a sun and a head. Where the relief stones come from and what they mean is unknown. Certain is that the relief stone with the sun dates from before 1897, as there is a photo from that year showing it.

The Falcon and The Drafting Compass

This colourful relief of a falcon at 84 Bakenessergracht in Haarlem is a replica of the original stone dating from 1726.

Besides the falcon there used to be a second relief picturing a drafting compass ("passer" in Dutch) above this narrow gate known as "Passerspoort" ("Drafting Compass Gate"). However note the sign of a drafting compass in the opening above the falcon! During the 16th and 17th century one of Haarlem's best known beer breweries called "De Passer en De Valk" ("The Drafting Compass and The Falcon") was located here.

The former brewery's relief stone

These beautifully restored houses at the Bakenessergracht in Haarlem date from the 17th century. The building in the middle of the photo, with the relief stone between the two windows, used to be a brewery until the 19th century.

The gold coloured relief pictures 2 crowned acorns. It is a copy of a relief originally dating from the 17th century named 'TWEE GECROONDE AECKERS'  (or in more modern Dutch ´Twee Gekroonde Eikels´), which was the name of the brewery.

The white dog

On our way from the Haarlem train station to the Teyler Museum we found this relief stone at the Bakenessergracht no 36. It pictures a dog and an inkwell, and it is located in an unusual spot: near the ground on a wall next to a few steps that lead to an entrance door. I tried to find out what it means and why it was placed here, but all I read was "no one knows exactly where the stone comes from and why it was put here, but it surely wasn't in 1863".
So, unfortunately I can't tell what it is exactly and why, but at least we know what it's not.. ;)

relief

FLORYS PEETERS DE WILD

1699

IN WEELDE SIET TO

A relief on a wall in Enkhuizen. When looking for more information I found that the words 'In Weelde Siet Toe' more or less mean 'Beware of Luxury' or 'In Luxury, Look Out' and refer to a painting by 17th century Dutch painter Jan van Steen.