Fire screens shielded people from excessive heat and flying sparks.  They also covered the fireplace when not in use.  Iron, brass and bronze were often the metals used, with wire mesh insets to trap sparks.

 

Louis Philippe reigned as King of France from 1830 until 1848.  The style of furnishings in vogue during his reign was characterized by simple, soft and rounded lines and the use of darker woods with little ornamentation. Louis Philippe is a transition style between the ornate Empire and Louis XVI styles and the simple, more naturalistic styles of the later Victorian era.  This was also the first style in France influenced more by the growing, wealthy upper class rather than the monarchy.