(L. to r.) Silberdistel, marked “310/24” (24cm); Bitossi “Sahara” decor (20cm); VEB Haldensleben 4072 (28cm)

Summer is proving to be a bit much for Europe and the US this year, with millions trapped under “heat domes” and scrambling to find any air-conditioned space for relief. In Paris, the city government has even authorized swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin! You know it is seriously hot when sober-minded Parisians even consider jumping into that water. In the spirit of weather which makes one feel like a sausage on a spit, I bring you three vases which were designed to bring to mind even hotter places. The Bitossi “Sahara” speaks for itself; the vase’s colors reflect the actual quartz, clay minerals and iron oxides in Saharan sand. The Haldensleben takes the desert motif one step further by incorporating real grit into the decor; one can easily envision a hot Saharan wind and the whisper of grains of sand over dunes, thanks to the vase materials and wonderful sense of movement created by the design. Last but not least, we have the Silberdistel vase and its rather lava-like appearance. Even sitting still in an air-conditioned room, this one raises the temperature! Whew! I may have to put this one away for a while so I can cool down a bit.