Any information on razors made in Belgium?

[grump]

I was curious if anyone has any information on any razors or razor makers from Belgium.
I just acquired a razor with the name G. Nelis, Gembloux. It has a hallmark which is a heart with three + signs in the center of the heart. The estate sale it came from had about 12 razors and had a some war memorabilia and collectibles.

 

[johnmrson]

I've had a little poke around looking for infor on Belgium razors and come up blank. I've got one at home stamped that it was made in Ypres. That's the place were a famous and bloody WW1 battle took place. My wifes Great Grandfather was there as as member of the AUstralian Army so I snatched it up when I saw it. I have a suspicion that Belgium razors were made in France but I've got no real evidence.

 

[grump]

John,

I am thinking France and German imports were probably where most came from but maybe there were a few artisans or small companies that produced some also. Without any concrete documentation, we can only guess.

 

[Gustav]

I had a little poke around myself and came up with this article to do with the lost knife-making industries of Gembloux which appears to have had a large concentration of knife and presumably razor workshops at bit like Eskilstuna in Sweden and Solingen in Germany. It does transpire that in some instances they used steel from elsewhere, from Germany and France. But since steel making has a long tradition in Belgium, I do not see why they would not have used their own steel to make razors.

http://www.cmonmetier.be/pano/r_coutellerie_gembloux.html