American Toby Jug Museum 

The Snake Charmer character jug modeled by Stanley J. Taylor and produced by Royal Doulton of Burslem, England, in a 1992 limited edition of 2,500. The Snake Charmer, a mystical and wizened old man from the exotic East, appears to have magical control of the lethally poisonous snakes slithering their way out of the woven grass basket. Combining hypnotic physical movements and a soothing sound produced by his melodic flute, the charmer deftly commands the venomous serpents to rise and dance for the gathering audience. The art of snake-charming is passed from one generation to the next, primarily among the ethnic group bedey, or Bangladeshi Gypsy. Cobra is the favored species because it puts on the best display by raising its head to an appreciable height and inflating its hood to show off its spectacular pattern. Most snake charmers removed the cobra's poisonous fangs beforehand to receive only venom-free bites. A cobra, basket and flute form the handle of the jug.