Cambodia celebrates return of ancient Khmer sculptures from Douglas Latchford collection

Collector’s daughter has promised to return more than 100 important sculptures acquired by her father

Cambodian officials have celebrated the return of five important ancient Khmer sculptures from the collection of Douglas Latchford, among more than 100 his daughter Julia promised to return after his death last year.

Latchford, a businessman who lived between the UK and Thailand, was a world expert on Khmer antiquities and a prolific collector, but in 2019 he was indicted in the US on charges of smuggling and forging documents. He died in 2020 before reaching trial.

Latchford came under scrutiny in 2011 after US authorities took legal action to stop the sale by Sotheby’s of a 10th-century Cambodian sandstone sculpture, the Duryodhana bondissant, worth millions, which was alleged to have been stolen from Prasat Chen, a temple at the 10th-century Khmer capital, Koh Ker.

read more https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/07/cambodia-celebrates-return-of-ancient-khmer-sculptures-from-douglas-latchford-collection