[identity profile] wahonowinn.livejournal.com 2009-01-16 07:21 pm (UTC)(link)
the stylishess was inherited from the Chinese (whose invention it was), I suppose.

in the Wikipedia article on samovar they missed a very important moment: after the water has started to boil and you put out the fire, you put the pot over the chimney to keep it warm:

Image

it is a very important part of the ritual ;)