Age of this bronze ewer with kuilong dragon motif and figure on the spout?

This is a bronze ewer with kuilong motif, with zoomorphic figure on the spout. The vessel is 6.5" tall without the lid which is about 3"tall. It is 7.5" wide. It weighs 2 lbs 3 oz. It is not magnetic. I believe it is unsigned. The bronze on the rim of lid has broken and chipped. The spout is filled with calcified junk. It was purchased at a thrift store in Palm Springs, CA.

Here are my thoughts:
There’s a noticeable seam along the back, suggesting it could date to the 19th century. It doesn’t appear to be machine-made, and the patina seems naturally developed. However, I’m curious about the additional "decay" at the base and inside the spout—it feels more pronounced than expected. The rim of the lid is broken, and none of the shapes, whether at the top or bottom, are perfectly round. The spout remains a mystery to me; I haven’t been able to find any similar examples, and the handle seems too simple.

Have you seen anything like this? I would love to hear your thoughts!

PS -- photos below were taken in bright direct sunlight.