SAMOVAR. Early 20th cent. M. A. Gretsov’s factory. Tula Nickel-plated. Ht. 26 cm. State Russian Museum
This miniature samovar is an exact replica of a large-size one both in shape and construction. It may be used to heat three glassfuls of water.
SAMOVAR. First half of the 19th cent. Brass. Ht. 30 cm. State Russian Museum
The choice of shapes and sizes was determined not only by aesthetic ideas but also by considerations of convenience. Samovars intended for use on a journey were of medium size, and had the form of a cube or of an octagonal prism. The curved legs were removable. They could be easily and securely fitted into…
SAMOVAR. First half of the 19th cent. Vasili Lomov’s factory. Tula Brass. Ht. 38.5 cm. State Russian Museum
The reputation of the town and government of Tula as the leading centre of samovar production was firmly established in the second half of the 18th century. At first dozens, and later hundreds of factories and shops, both large and small, worked in this area, vying with each other in the technical and artistic perfection…
SAMOVAR. Seventies of the 19th cent. Brass. Ht. 38 cm. (without the funnel) State Russian Museum
The samovar shaped as the figure of a cock, with decoration imitating ornamental motives carved in wood, illustrates the prevailing pseudo-Russian taste of the period. The execution is remarkable for painstaking accuracy and a loving attention to detail.
SAMOVAR. Early 20th cent. The Batashovs’ Factory. Tula Nickel-plated. Ht. 40 cm. State Russian Museum
Turnip-shaped samovars were in vogue in the early part of the present century. The tap was generally made in branch form. The factories owned by the Batashovs were among the largest and most famous in Russia. The first of them was founded in 1840.
SAMOVAR. Early 20th cent. Copper. Ht. 49 cm. State Russian Museum
The samovar came into use in Russia in the mid-18th century. Early specimens often resembled vases in shape. The laws of the style dominant in decorative applied art of the period influenced their proportions, ornamentation and even certain structural details. The samovar with an egg-shaped body upheld by curved rods, the whole resting on a…
SAMOVAR. Thirties to forties of the 19th cent. Silvered brass. Ht. 57.5 cm. State Russian Museum
In the somewhat affected elegance of its shape and ornamental details (curved handles decorated with rams’ heads, curiously undulating figures of dolphins adorning the tap), this specimen approaches the Eclectic style in applied arts. The high technical level of workmanship places it among the more expensive productions.
SAMOVAR. Forties of the 19th cent. Sergei Lukyanov’s factory. Tula Brass. Ht. 47.8 cm. State Museum of the Ethnography of the Peoples of the RUSSIA
This samovar is remarkable for its shape, which imitates that of a «krater», a vessel used in ancient Greece for mixing wine and water. The form of the «krater» frequently occurs in porcelain, crystal glass and hardstone vases of the period.