Heartofglass said:
...one book I have says it's French c.1850s & Manley says it's English, by Richardsons...
In Manley's
Decorative Victorian Glass on page 57, for item 24 (a red snake handled jug) he said, "Richardson ...
Note the French influence in the use of the snake ..." (My underlining).
In Hajdamach's
Briitish Glass 1800-1914, Plate 73 on page 102 shows a snake handled jug (much finer than the one shown in Manley's book). The text reference to this is in respect of the fact that the Richardson pattern books showed rococo revival items and indicated that the revival was popular from the 1820s to about 1870.
A while ago I was preparing an article for the Newsletter of the Paperweight Collectors Circle which was based on the subject of Lizards in 19th century paperweights. My research, as far it went, showed me that there was surprisingly little information on applied creatures on Victorian glassware, let alone inside paperweights.
But, through various contacts I learned that the earliest use of, for example, snake handles was in the 1840s. It also became clear that both the French and English produced items in that same style. I suspect that the Bohemians also made some, too. And what about the Americans? For popular Victorian decorative wares I would have thought that lots of makers around the world would have produced them. ... Or maybe not?
No answers from me then, just more questions.
