This 1971 Walter Gerhards “Valencia” is one of those rare times when I opened a box, did a quick intake of breath, and just said, “Wow.” It is big, bold, and brash: a combination of trophy cup and art project come to life. The glaze, with a yellow the color of freshly-ground turmeric, seems almost fluid, as if it were melting under a hot sun. The horseshoe-shaped rings, compressing as they move upward, lead the eye to a crenelated top looking worn down by the ages. The handle, which appears to have been pulled into shape like taffy, boasts two attachment points which another manufacturer may have left plain, but here were given just an extra ounce of character. It could only have come from Gerhards, whose original shapes and glaze combinations stood out in the 60s and 70s even among the most well-known German ceramics producers. He’s not to everyone’s taste, but there is no denying he had style.