AGATE 'WATER CALTROP' GROUP
QING DYNASTY, 19TH CENTURY
清 瑪瑙雕菱角佩 帶木座cleverly worked with two stacking smaller water caltrops touching a larger, with a bespoke wooden stand 
4.4cm wide
The Estate of Sir John and Lady Clare Keswick at Portrack House, Dumfriesshire.Sir John Henry Keswick, KCMG (1906–1982) was an influential Scottish businessman in China and Hong Kong. He was the tai-pan of Jardine, Matheson & Co., the leading British trading firm in the Far East, and had established friendships with many Chinese politicians, including Zhou Enlai, Premier of the People's Republic of China, and Madame Soong Ching-ling, wife of Sun Yat-sen during his stay in China. He was also a representative of the Special Operations Executive, a British intelligence service during the Second World War. Sir John spoke fluent Chinese. He was a Chinese art collector, particularly contemporary paintings.He married Clare Mary Alice Cynthia Catherine Celia Elwes (1905–1998) in 1940 and had a child Margaret Keswick (1941–1995) who founded Maggie's Centres for those suffering from cancer. 
Compare to an agate 'water caltrop' group, Qing dynasty, 19th century, previously in the Tuyet Nguyet and Stephen Markbreiter collection, sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 26 May 2021, lot 175. An agate carving of water caltrop, further with water chestnut, symbolising infinite love, Qing dynasty, is in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, museum number Guza 故雜906.