How did the Russian samovar end up in Iran?

The first samovars in Russia began to be made as early as the 1730s–1740s. The factories of the famous industrialists the Demidovs, in Tula and the Urals, lay claim to primacy. Later, samovars began to be produced in other regions as well. And it was precisely here that the Persian ruler Naser al-Din Shah became acquainted with the traditions of the Russian tea table.

He made three official visits to Russia, the first of which was in 1873. The goal was to get acquainted with European innovations that could be adopted. His route ran across the Caspian Sea, through Moscow, Kolomna and other cities, all the way to St. Petersburg.

According to one version of events, the Shah personally brought several Russian samovars back home as curiosities. According to another, the samovars were given to him by Russian merchants. Be that as it may, the Persian ruler and his court liked the idea of drinking tea from a samovar.

The Batashevs and Shemarins, who were Tula merchants, organized the first samovar shipments to Iran.

However, local craftsmen soon set up their own production, decorating the samovars with Oriental patterns. The main production center became the city of Borujerd, where samovars are made to this day.