ART NOUVEAU BIZARRE CERAMIC: LOBSTER & LIZARD DUEL ATOP SHELL, Austria 1890s

Description

A lizard/dragon confronts a lobster invading its giant shell in this realistically sculpted "bizarre" ceramic vessel, probably made in Austria or France, ca.1890-1910.
The lizard, modeled after a Galapagos Marine Iguana or classic Oriental dragon, is a matte olive green  highlighted in gold, naturally molded with horned snout, bulging eyes, menacing long tongue and clawed legs.
His nemesis lobster is matte reds, rust and browns with gold highlighting beautifully modeled exoskeleton,  eyes, claws and antennae.
By contrast the cream, beige and caramel corkscrew shell is  high glaze and rests on two rust-red coral mounds detailed down to the tube holes edged in gold, and on the lobster's tail.
The vessel is large:  19 3/8 inches long x 7 5/8 inches tall x 7 1/2 inches deep. Condition good, commensurate with age and use:   paint wear on protuberant surfaces (am sure many tiny hands have petted these amazing creatures over the years).  Old repair (3/8" x 3/16th")  on top inside edge of shell (see pix) and SURFACE hairline in mid top shell (doesn't go thru).
This Art Nouveau Bizarre ceramic vessel was  probably inspired by Japanese arts  in vogue at the time -  when crawling creatures both real and imaginary were design elements used  in metals, pottery and textiles. It is unsigned.   One of the largest "bizarre" pieces I've seen  and enjoyed for 30+ years.