The “Snake Charmer” Cobra will hit the block as part of RM Sotheby’s annual Monterey Car Week auction, which runs from Thursday, August 15, to Saturday, August 17.

Pali Nath believes his cobras are 1,000 years old. This may be a slight overstatement, but it speaks to his sense that his trade - snake charmer - is an ancient, integral part of Indian culture.