Presented in this lot is a Vintage Imperial Russia Brass Samovar by N. I. Batashev, Tula, Russia, circa 1880s, procured in Lashkargah, Afghanistan, once historically called Bost or Boost and later renamed. Was once the site of a Ghaznavid palace and soldiers' bazaar near the confluence of the Helmand and Arghandab rivers in southeastern Afghanistan. Provenance: the Owen D. Mort, Jr. Collection. Owen David Mort was an American engineer who amassed an impressive collection throughout his worldwide travels. His collection has included art, artifacts and other historical items from which he has donated to museums at the University of Utah and Snite Museum of Art, the University of Notre Dame. Since the 18th century the city of Tula, in western Russia, has been the main center of Russian samovar production, with tul'sky samovar being the brand mark of the city. One of the major producers was the Batashev family, the first and oldest manufacturer, established in 1825. As a result of the high quality of their samovars, the company was royally rewarded with the national emblem in 1850 and in 1855 with the title, "The manufacturer of the court of His Imperial Majesty". The body of this samovar is in the form of a classical vase with a high neck and a narrow interception at the bottom. The wall is embossed with concave ovals. The circle is wide and embossed. The cover is stepped. A burner with a narrow edge bent outward. The slits on the burner are in the shape of curly quadrangles. The handles are made of turned wood. The stem of the tap is faceted, with a hook-shaped protrusion and an oval lining at the spout. The branch of the crane spigot is s-shaped, stylized as a plant stem. There are medal imprints on the square pallet, one with a 1882 date. Top also has medal imprint stamps, all in Cyrillic/Russian language. Samovar is in nice condition, scratches observed throughout appear to be from normal usage. Wood handles exhibit slight chipping and scuffing. Rich patina noted as well as oxidation. Measures 14"W at handles, 16"H, weight 12lb, 14oz