Well, although Samovar sounds nicer, and Russian more interesting I believe what you have there is either U.S. or English made and would be more usually called a hot water or tea urn as you mentioned, from the victorian era. That being said I don't think you'll have a translation problem in reading the maker's mark when you clean it. Possibly a Meriden Brittania Company mark? (if so, 1866 is a pattern, not a date). I suspect it is silver-plate, possibly nickel silver, so go easy with the cleaning.