10th-12th century AD. A carved sandstone statue of Lakshmi in samabhanga pose with sampot and ornate collar, hair gathered in a chignon and secured with a band; mounted on a custom-made stand. See Baptiste, P. and Zéphir, T., L’Art Khmer dans les Collections du Musée Guimet, Paris, 2008.61.1 kg total, 1.35m including stand (53 1/4"). Property of a Cambridgeshire gentleman since 1990; previously in a private collection formed in the 1980s; accompanied by a scholarly note TL 5280 by Dr Ronald Bonewitz; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no.163485-10091. The deities Parvati, Saraswati and Lakshmi comprise the Tridevi, the holy trinity of goddesses in Hindu tradition. Lakshmi is a goddess of abundance and good fortune for Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. Her broad array of associations made her one of the most important deities and in the guise of Shri, she is considered a goddess personifying a diverse range of talents and powers. [A video of this lot is available to view on TimeLine Auctions website.]