Ed Wusthof 7.25" Cleaver Carbon Steel Walnut 1950s

Hand-ground carbon steel 7.25" cleaver from Ed Wusthof in Soingen, Germany with pinned ebonized walnut or fruitwood handle. This predates by far the stainless knives that Wusthof is famous for today and represents the old-style Solingen production, integrating skilled hand grinding as well as industrial techniques. 

Blade had somewhat established rust when found leaving some pits, it has been re-ground along the faces to both remove the pits and to thin behind the edge a little to bring it back closer to its original geometry.

Anecdotally, for every 500 old carbon steel Henckels I have come across, only one old carbon Wusthof is found; they were not directly imported into the USA until the late 50's, although some found their way here undoubtedly through travel and immigration. 
Wusthof's model of automation replacing handwork began in the Marshal Plan era, retooling post-WW2 Solingen. Lots of Solingen's industrial equipment was either destroyed or to taken by the British after the war so a lot of industry was re-imagined. Mr Wusthof imagined having as few employees as possible and hence this era of German knife making begins.