Samovar

A Samovar typically is made of iron, copper, polished brass, bronze, silver, gold, tin, or nickel — and consists of a body, base and chimney, cover and steam vent, handles, tap and key, crown and ring, chimney extension and cap, drip-bowl, and teapot.

The pipe is filled with solid fuel which is ignited to heat the water in the surrounding container.

After the water boils and the fire is extinguished, the smoke-stack can be removed and a teapot placed on top to be heated by the rising hot air.

The tea is served by diluting this concentrate with boiled water from the main container, usually at a water-to-tea ratio of 10-to-1, varying to taste.

Connections exist to a similar Greek water-heater of classical antiquity, the autepsa, a vase with a central tube for coal.

While it differed from modern samovars in many respects, it contained the distinguishing functional feature of an inner cylindrical tube that increased the area available for heating the water.

From their childhood they were engaged in metalworking at the brass factory of their father, Fyodor Ivanovich Lisitsyn.

In 1778 they made a samovar, and the same year Nazar Lisitsyn registered the first samovar-making factory in Russia.

In everyday use samovars were an economical permanent source of hot water in older times.

Although a Russian jackboot сапог (sapog) could be used for this purpose, bellows were manufactured specifically for use on samovars.

Borujerd's samovars are often made with German silver, in keeping with the famous Varsho-Sazi artistic style.

The copper samovar was used by Muslims and that of brass was used by local Hindus called Kashmiri Pandit.