Samovar For almost three centuries now it has been considered a native Russian symbol of hospitality and integral part life of the Slavic people. But, strange as it may sound now, the history of this ancient device goes back several thousand years. And the samovar did not appear in Russia at all, as is commonly believed throughout the world.
But, be that as it may, Russian word“samovar” migrated to many countries and this device is called “samovar” by the British, French, Spaniards, and Italians, and, by the way, the Turks also call it “semaver”.
Later, during antiquity, in Ancient Rome a design resembling a samovar appeared - autepsa. It was a tall jug, inside of which was placed a brazier for hot coals that warmed the water. The same device could also cool drinks on hot days, and for this purpose ice was used instead of coal. Autepsa had the great advantage that it did not need external fire, since heating came from the inside.
A similar ancient device exists in China. A deep bowl with a built-in pipe and a blower - this is what the famous Chinese prototype of the samovar, called “Ho-Go,” represents. They come in metal and porcelain, and are usually served with soup or boiling broth.
There is a high probability that it was along with tea that “Ho-Go” came to Russia from China in the 16th century. But no one knows this for sure now. After all, the history of the origin of the Russian samovar is very confusing and contradictory.
According to one of the legends in Rus', the samovar first appeared during the reign of Peter the Great. Since the emperor often visited European countries and from where he brought many ideas and interesting objects, it was rumored that it was he who brought this outlandish device from Holland.
However, if you believe the historical chronicles, the samovar appeared in Rus' after the death of Peter. And for the first time it was created not in Tula, as is commonly believed, but in the Urals in 1740. But historians found the first mention of the Tula samovar only six years later. With the advent of samovars in Rus' in the 16th century, tea also appeared, which became a very popular drink by the beginning of the 19th century.
The production of samovars itself is a delicate and labor-intensive matter. IN different years they were made from different metals. The very first ones were copper and cupronickel, and later brass. But in museums there are samovars from precious metals- gold, silver and even pure quartz.
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For the children of Emperor Nicholas II in 1909, Tula craftsmen made five small samovars with a volume of one glass. “Each had its own shape: in the shape of a vase, in the shape of a glass, in the form of an antique vessel, in the shape of a ball, a Greek amphora.” All of them are preserved in the museum and are in working order.
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Samovars with a volume of 3-8 liters were widespread, although larger ones with a capacity of 12-15 liters were also produced. Due to the harsh climate in Russia, such samovars quickly became fashionable, as you can not only drink boiling water from them, but also heat your home. That is why the samovar became so popular among the Russian people, despite its considerable cost. And what’s interesting is that the price of this unique device was determined by its weight. The heavier the samovar, the more expensive it was.
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The samovar made brewing tea so much easier that it became an indispensable household assistant. Now there was no longer any need to light the stove to heat boiling water. And yet it didn’t take much time at all. And the heated water in the samovar did not cool down for a long time.
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This kind fat one"друг" был вне всяких сословий, он был в почете и у простого крестьянина, и у царя-батюшки. Под "пыхтение" самовара слагали стихи, пели песни, водили хороводы и решали дела государственной значимости. Медный блестящий самовар и по сей день живет в !} literary works Pushkin, Blok, Gorky and Gogol. And also on the canvases of Russian classic artists.
The measured hum, the bagels on the table, cups and saucers and the most delicious tea from the samovar - all this is so close to the heart, it gives so much warmth and comfort to the hearth. And to the beat of hearts, warmed by the heat of the Tula samovar, the poetry of the soul, national Russian poetry, is born... For a Russian person, the samovar brings back memories of childhood, the dear and caring hands of the mother, the chants of the wind, a snowstorm outside the window, friendly festivities, family feasts."
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Wherever you are, day or night -
Like being at home next to him.
It hums in the forest hut,
In cities, among the steppes...
From it Pushkin is often
I treated my friends to tea.
Commander, Prince Suvorov
He took him with him.
In the mid-nineteenth century, drinking tea in Russia using a samovar became a national tradition, and water heating devices were extremely popular. At that time, the samovar was quite expensive, but it should be noted that both nobles, workers and peasants could purchase it.
Samovar glass 5 liters
Samovar in the shape of a vase, 7 l
There are many types of samovars, which differ in shape and size. The factory, owned by Batashev, is famous for its high-quality and beautiful products. Samovars of fifty-four shapes were made here, but not all shapes gained wide popularity. The following standard forms enjoyed the greatest recognition: samovar-glass and samovar-jar. Their designs were characterized by laconicism and grace, as well as distinctive feature their production was simple. Devices with these forms were designed for the mass consumer, and their appearance did not change for several decades. Most of the samovars produced were plated with nickel, and those versions that were intended for the aristocracy and were much more expensive were hand-painted.
Samovar in the form of a 2.5 l pan
Samovar bowl shape
A travel samovar was also in demand. Its main difference from home ones was the removable legs, which were screwed on with screws. The shapes of samovars were different great variety. The beginning of the twentieth century was marked by the emergence new variety samovars "Parichko". This type samovars were made of copper and were equipped with a side pipe, a container for fuel (kerosene) and a removable jug. They were in great demand in the Caucasus. The most common types of samovars include a jar samovar, a glass samovar, a vase samovar, an acorn samovar, a muzzle samovar, a turnip samovar, an egg samovar, a flame samovar, and a jug samovar.
Samovar jar volume 5 l
Samovar shaped like a turnip
Samovars could be different in volume; their capacity varied from half a liter to twenty liters. Paying attention to the purpose of the devices, we can distinguish the following types: samovar-coffee pot, samovar-kitchen, static samovar, travel samovar and many others. Already in the nineteenth century, many fashionable tea accessories appeared. An example of such accessories is a bouillotte. It is a small container placed on a stand with an alcohol lamp to keep the water hot. TO fashion accessories That time includes a coffee pot with an alcohol lamp, refrigerators or, in other words, containers designed for cooling drinks, on legs, inside the containers there is crushed ice, a tray-stand. It prevents the table from being heated by the hot samovars. A rinse machine, designed to get rid of residual water and tea, and a teapot were also widely used.
If you find yourself on this page, it means, like many others, you want to understand how to choose the right samovar, what to look for and what to take into account. We have extensive experience both in the production and sale of samovars - we know what worries the buyer above all. We see no reason to hide this information– now we’ll tell you everything and help!
Any search must begin with a goal. As practice shows, the goals for purchasing a samovar are as follows:
If the goal is present, then there are practically no restrictions. The reason will tell you. Samovars are often given as gifts for anniversaries or some memorable dates - here you can choose from beautiful painted sets with a tray and a pair of teas. And if you want to surprise a person even more, you can make a unique one hand painted samovar or decorate with the inscription “Happy Anniversary”, for example, as we did for our clients from the Gavrish company - they ordered samovars for the company’s birthday.
Often samovars are given as a gift for a wedding anniversary - you must agree that giving a copper samovar for a copper wedding is very unusual and will definitely be remembered. Well, what can we say about classic silver and gold weddings. Of course, it is not necessary to wait and guess some specific date, samovar is a unique gift.
For personal use You can see practical classic models in the form of a “bank”, “acorn”, “glass” - in nickel or simply polished to a golden shine. A nickel-plated samovar will be the most unpretentious in maintenance, but a polished samovar is also very easy to clean, returning it to its original shine.
Don't forget about painted ones either. We once told you about the quality of our painted samovars - thanks to the coating technology, they are not afraid of water and other oxidizing agents. Just don’t forget to wash off the dust! But we can’t vouch for our competitors, ask them.
To the collection they often buy antique samovars; they are much more expensive, especially if they have medals and decals. Someone may collect samovars of one manufacturer or shape. By the way, an antique samovar can be an excellent memorable gift. Perhaps after your gift the person will begin to maintain his own collection.
Having figured out the purpose of purchasing a samovar, we move on - the types of samovars.
There are 3 main types of samovars:
But let's quickly refresh our memory.
Heat samovars- This is a classic type of samovar that appeared in the 19th century. It’s simple - inside the samovar there is a pipe into which fuel is thrown - firewood, coals - due to the heat created from the fuel, the water heats up and boils. Often such samovars are placed in country houses and dachas due to their independence from electricity, well, it should be noted that the process of lighting such a samovar is a whole ceremony that sets the mood for a wonderful evening and creates a good mood.
Here you should choose between modern and antique models, both from the 19th century and Soviet copies.
Electric samovars were created in the USSR. Such samovars operate from a regular electrical network, and a heating element is used as a heater. At the same time, the Tula masters who created electric samovars retained classic shapes(“jar”, “glass”), and also made several new ones (“acorn”, “ball”).
The electric samovar is basically the same Electric kettle, but keeps warm longer. Modern electric samovars are easy to use and maintain, reliable and safe. When purchasing, you must make sure that the device has passed all the necessary hydro and electrical tests. This is confirmed by the relevant documentation and warranty from the manufacturer. With the purchase of an electric samovar in our store, we provide everything Required documents, confirming high quality our products.
Through our production, we have improved electric models and in the Samovarov Grad product line there are samovars with automatic shutdown. We talked about them in detail in our article.
Combined samovars- a universal invention. You can heat such a samovar with wood and coal, or connect it to the electrical network. A specially shaped heating element is used, which goes around the kindling pipe.
The technology has been around for many years, and it has proven itself perfectly!
The main material from which samovars are made is brass. It is easy to clean and keeps water hot for a long time. It is samovars made of polished brass that have such a bright and rich golden light. There are some models from of stainless steel– basically, these are pantry samovars with a volume of 25-45 liters.
Also, samovars can be coated with copper or nickel plated, which gives the samovars a beautiful reddish or silver color, respectively.
The downside is that brass and copper oxidize over time and the surface becomes stained. In order to restore their former shine, we recommend periodically cleaning such samovars. by special means. Nickel-plated and copper-plated coatings are easier to maintain, and by cleaning the samovar after each use, you can significantly extend its service life and maintain its original appearance.
In terms of color, as you already understood, there are several options:
When choosing the volume of a samovar, you need to proceed from the number of people who will potentially use the samovar. If you take for yourself and on small company– a samovar of 2-5 liters will be enough. If you are planning some periodic gatherings in company, for example, at the dacha or in a bathhouse, then you can look at samovars with a volume of 7-10 liters - and the volume will be enough for everyone and will maintain the temperature for a long time.
Samovars from 25 liters are more often purchased for commercial purposes - in a restaurant, cafe, hotel.
There are quite a lot of forms of samovars. There are traditional ones - “jar” and “glass” with smooth walls, or more sophisticated ones - “vase”, “egg”, “ball” with beautiful embossed walls and decorative elements.
Many people remember samovars in the shape of an “acorn” - these are classics of Soviet production.
There is no fundamental difference between them, except that, for example, in cone-shaped samovars the water will boil faster.
So, we have highlighted the main characteristics that you need to pay attention to when choosing. Of course, first of all you need to decide on the purpose of the purchase. The gift should be bright and unique, especially such a gift as a samovar. In our online store, the choice of such samovars is unlimited - all types of painting, all types of shapes and volumes, as well as additional accessories. It all depends on your desire.
More practical samovars of not very large volume may be suitable for personal use. Among electric samovars, pay attention to models with automatic shut-off - they are available in both classic look, and in painting. And if we talk about heaters, pay attention to the classic models in the form of a “bank” of 5 or 7 liters. Our store often hosts promotions for samovars.
Already from the goal, look at the required volume and material, 95% of samovars are, of course, brass, we recommend choosing it. In shape and color - everything is to your taste.
This is not just a device for heating water. IN Lately the samovar became something more. This is not only a beautiful piece of furniture that emanates antiquity and tradition, but also a unique symbol of a spiritual tea party at the table with those closest to you. What shapes do samovars come in? In this article we will tell you about the main forms of fire samovars and their properties, and also introduce you to a short history creating various forms.
Beauty is not the only criterion by which you should choose a samovar. Its shape affects the appearance after a few years. Shot glasses with relief, spoon vases, jars with edges have a more rigid frame, so they will last longer. As for the egg, ball and turnip, the situation is the opposite. They are very fragile and require gentle handling, although they look impressive. Even lightly pressing your finger on the surface can leave a dent that will not be so easy to get rid of. That is why now there are not many rare samovars in the shape of a ball that are in excellent condition and suitable for use. We recommend taking into account the properties of the shapes when choosing a samovar.
Now there are many forms of samovars. We should be grateful to Tula manufacturers for such diversity. Back in the 19th century, they staged a kind of race in which they showed their skill and breadth of imagination. Craftsmen came up with new forms to win the attention of buyers. Since the 1870s, the production of samovars has become widespread. This forced manufacturers to unify forms and decoration. This is how the main types of samovars appeared - vases, glasses, jars. These forms of flame samovars are distinguished by their capacity, durability and beauty. More simple models were found even in poor working-class families. The same ones that were produced in limited quantities or individual orders, were purchased by wealthy people. In the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries, common forms of samovars were egg, acorn, dulya (pear), turnip, Easter Egg, flame and others. Then the technology for producing samovars improved, which made it possible to pay more attention to appearance. The masters created not only the original form. To give uniqueness to their creation, they decorated the samovar with great imagination. Thus, ornaments were created in the following styles: Byzantine, neoclassical, neo-Rococo, romantic modern. But the topic of samovar design is very broad and requires a separate article.
In the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries it became the most popular. The name comes from its resemblance to a real jar. Externally, it is a smooth, cylindrical samovar. They cost the least then, so they were the most affordable on the market. Capacity, durability, and favorable price led to the fact that it was the fire-heated coal samovar in the shape of a can that was chosen for placement in taverns, shops and street vendors' outlets.
The shape resembles the corresponding root vegetable. Usually plated with nickel, it looked very elegant. The price for it was higher, so such a samovar was often bought for merchants' houses.
It is included in the top popular forms along with a jar. It is named so because the body becomes narrower towards the bottom, which resembles the stem of a glass.
This is the name given to samovars with a round body. This spectacular form particularly impressed the residents eastern countries. Therefore, the balls were exported to Persia and Turkey.
Has two types. The samovar was called Easter, top part which is narrower than the bottom one. An ordinary egg - the bottom is narrower than the top.
These conical samovars come in many styles. Over time, their surfaces began to be minted with spoons, columns, medallions, ovals or faces. These details give a special elegance to the samovar. Some parts of the case are engraved manually or mechanically. If now samovars in the form of a phase can be afforded by many, then in the 19th century they were purchased only by rich people - nobles, high officials, large bourgeois.
Its strength depends on the shape of the samovar. The most common shapes are jar, vase and shot glass. In addition, there are samovars in the shape of a turnip, a ball, an egg and others. But remember: no matter what shape the fire samovar is, its taste of tea cannot be compared with its electric counterparts.
The design of the samovar seems to be extremely simple. The body with handles, or body, inside is a flame tube on a massive but hollow base. A burning flame is placed in a pipe charcoal, and it continues to burn below on the grate in the air flow that enters the holes in the base. The air heats up and, rising up in the flame tube, gives off heat to the water in the samovar (Fig. 1).
The coal will burn steadily, or rather burn out, if there is traction. It appears when the air flow at one end of the pipe heats up and cools at the other, which is what happens in a samovar. The draft is also facilitated by the narrowing of the outlet end, which simultaneously reduces heat loss. Modern scientific discipline- gas dynamics calls such methods of accelerating air flow the effect of thermal and geometric nozzles (Fig. 2).
a) Straight pipe: O + - heat input, Q - - heat removal, P - pressure, V - air speed.
b) Pipe with a narrowing: F 1 - narrowed section of the pipe, F 2 - normal section of the pipe. The narrowing of the pipe leads to a more vigorous increase in speed (thrust) and a decrease in pressure.
In order for air to flow in the samovar pipe, it must be “moved”, imparting some initial speed, blowing through the pipe below near the grate (light the coals from above with a boot). Likewise, in modern ramjet engines, thrust appears when the air flow accelerates to more than twice the speed of sound (in jet engine theory, the word “thrust” means the force that moves the aircraft in space).
A samovar pipe narrowed at the top is called a jug. Thanks to the jug shape (the narrowing of the top of the pipe increases the frequency of its own vibrations), the samovar pipe managed to avoid significant “buzzing,” which would mean the proximity of rather dangerous vibrations such as flutter.
The internal diameter of the pipe, in its widest part, is the main samovar measure. This diameter was used to determine all the dimensions of the samovar, its height and width, even required quantity coals.
Other main part samovar - body, or body for water (Fig. 3). In the first Russian samovars it resembled a bowl (hemisphere). Over time, more suitable forms of the body, similar to a bucket, emerged - an inverted truncated cone, as well as a more complex combination - the upper part of the cone coupled with a torus. In samovars with such a body, the water is first heated at the bottom, then receives heat from the pipe throughout the entire volume.
Rice. 3. Changes in the shape of the body.
A serious design challenge was the connection of the body with the pipe. When the samovar heats up, the jug becomes red-hot, and the temperature of the body does not exceed the boiling point of water. Russian samovar makers, taking into account such different heating modes of the body and pipe, connected them hermetically in only one place. Thus, the pipe and body began to behave independently, avoiding thermal stresses, and therefore cyclic warping, which usually lead to destruction.
At the same time, the body and pipe, connected in one place, acted like a console - a structure fixed on one side and very vulnerable due to its low rigidity. In 1825, professor of medicine Efrem Mukhin proposed new option samovar, in order to obtain, along with boiling water, the water vapor needed for field hospitals (Fig. 4). In the upper part of the samovar, bread was baked for the wounded in the manner of today's miracle stoves. It was planned to additionally connect the pipe and the body at the top, which gave the samovar structure additional rigidity. However, due to periodic changes in temperature, the upper connection of the body with the pipe quickly unsoldered, and the steam evaporated.
