CAMBODIA
cambodia welcomes 74 antiquities from the estate of douglas latchford
18 February 2026, phnom penh
A collection of 74 Cambodian antiquities has been returned to Cambodia from the collection of infamous art dealer Douglas Latchford, following two major repatriations in 2021 and 2023. This latest return was carried out under the terms of a 2020 agreement between the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and the Latchford family.
The returned antiquities include sandstone sculptures, bronze works, and ritual objects, spanning periods from the pre-Angkorian era through the height of the Khmer Empire, and form part of cultural heritage which had been looted during decades of war and instability.
The Minister commended the dedicated efforts of the Art & Antiques Unit of Scotland Yard, the OSCE Heritage Task Force, the British Embassy in Phnom Penh and relevant authorities and archeologists.
Special thanks were extended to Bradley J. Gordon of Edenbridge Asia and Melina Antoniadis of NOSTOS Strategies for their role in facilitating the repatriation. Appreciation was also given to the business and private groups that contributed to covering the additional transportation costs, underscoring the importance of strong public-private partnerships in safeguarding cultural heritage.
This historic return has been featured in the media:
Cambodia Celebrates the Return of Looted Artifacts From a Tainted Dealer (New York Times, 27 February 2026).
Cambodia takes back looted historic artifacts handled by British art dealer (AP News, 28 February 2026).
