Dav here. We’ve just wrapped up our Tolstoy Workshop and wanted to share a little bit of the research that our fabulous Dramaturg Neal Ryan Shaw found.
“The earliest samovars resembled English tea urns but had a spout and handle instead of a tap. Russian samovars were/are made of various metals; copper, bronze, iron and silver being the most typical. These are not simple pots. Rather, Russian samovars quickly became an expression of functional art. With the high price of tea, as mentioned earlier, the samovar was both functional and a symbol of affluence. The warmth and aroma of the brew symbolized hospitality and security. As is customary with the British, the lady of the house would serve the tea to her family and guests. The very wealthy would have two samovars; a plain one for everyday and an ornate one for company.
To boil water for tea, you didn’t need to sit the samovar on the stove. This unique appliance accomplishes its task, thanks to a tube which is soldered to the body of the samovar and holds smoldering charcoal or wood. The heat from the charcoal boils the water and keeps it hot. A small teapot sits on top of the samovar which held the dark, concentrated brew. Water from the samovar is used to dilute this tea when served. Today, the factories produce electric samovars. While many are still made using the highly polished metal used for the old samovars, many modern samovars are decorated with beautiful paintings . Tea was/is taken with all meals and pretty much any other time of the day. Samovars were present in homes, trains, offices and restaurants. You would even see street vendors, with samovars, selling hot cups of tea.” Thanks Neil! (Photo courtesy Wikipedia)
