Description: Great Vintage Russian Folk Art Samovar Teapot Cosy or Tea Baba c1960. This Tea Baba (Чайная баба), in tradition costume was most likely made in Moscow circa 1960. (Note: these are hard to date, but it could be as early post-war.) A tea baba is an insulated doll made of fabric, whose underskirt is stuffed with cotton wool. She is placed over a teapot or a samovar to maintain warmth. The baba is one of the most culturally familiar aspects of serving tea at home with family and guests. Babas go back to the beginning of the 18th century in Russia. They were especially popular in the 19th century. In Russia, tea was served differently than in Europe. Water was boiled and maintained in a samovar, and tea leaves were prepared separately in a small teapot, which was kept warm. The "tea women" were made specially for this purpose, and were used as covers for the teapot. During the early Soviet era, the culture of keeping a teapot kept warm with the help of a “baba” continued, and many homes had this unusual, and often homemade, item. With the arrival of tea bags and electric kettles, the need to keep liquid warm began to vanish. Since the end of the 20th century and beyond, babas have mainly existed as a collectible item and for decoration. This typical Russian tea cosy for the teapot (chainik) on a samovar has the form of a jovial woman in traditional Russian costume. Her body is made of material and she has a moulded fabric (stockinette) head and face. Her features are painted on. She wearing a traditional Russian folk costume with an apron and bonnet. Her hands are made of pale pink cotton. Below the waist she has no body, just a padded long skirt to cover the teapot on a samovar. Her long-sleeved high-necked blouse is made of white cotton with red trims, her apron or over skirt is red and blue with gold lace trim and blue buttons. Her skirt is made to match her apron in blue with a red trim. The long skirt covers the padded cosy. She is wearing a plain red bonnet with gold lace over her blonde hair, which is wound into a bun. She is holding a floral scarf or shawl in her right hand. The doll measures approx. 58cm, the quilted cosy skirt measures approx. 73cm on the inner circumference. The multicolour cosy makes a unique addition to your kitchen, dining or bar collection. Ideal for tea lovers, this tea cosy is perfect for keeping your tea warm for longer periods. Please see pictures for more details. Thanks for looking and Happy Bidding! Recycled packaging is used as much as possible. I am always happy to combine postage, all I ask if you let me know if you are bidding on more than one item within a few days of each other. I will pack and weigh the items together and get the best possible price that I can, sometimes weight or value might dictate that I send multiple parcels to get a better value for you
Price: 65 GBP
Location: Washaway
End Time: 2025-01-10T15:19:47.000Z
Shipping Cost: 49.19 GBP
Product Images
Item Specifics
Return postage will be paid by: Buyer
Returns Accepted: Returns Accepted
After receiving the item, your buyer should cancel the purchase within: 30 days
Item: Tea Cosy
Country/Region of Manufacture: Russian Federation
Personalise: No
