Samovars?

[maldoror]

i've been wanting a samovar for years and it's time to replace the kettle.
do any of you folks use these on a daily basis? i drink lots of different teas....mostly pu-erh...3-4 heavy steeps a day.
do you think i would enjoy using it or does it really only fit the niche of russian tea tradition of making a concentrate to keep warm on top?
i'm thinking it can be used like an electric kettle with the added advantage of keeping the tea warm a little longer on the chimney? am i wrong here?
i'm interested in older models and some of the more affordable handmade contemporary models..i guess a lot of the appeal of samovars is the ornament. but i'm afraid it might be hard to find something that might be healthy to drink out of...the old brass ones are some of the nicest, but they can't be good for you right? some are copper plated on the outside..some are painted...i guess these are steel? most oxidized white and some orange. what should i be wary of?
also, are there any places other than ebay i should look?
thanks a lot,
andrew

[kostap]

Andrew, you probably should check it in Russian shops
http://www.samowar.ru/
http://www.samovary.ru/
http://www.samovarov.net/
I do not know if you know Russian language, but in worst case you can use Google translation, or ask for help from people here. I personally speak Russian )
I do not live in Russia for almost 20 years, but think that Samovar is very specific to the Russian tea culture and therefore better be purchased there.
Just recollected Anton Chechov's joke - "Traveling with wife to Paris is like going to Tula with his own samovar" )