16,000 culture fans flocked to show (From The Bolton News)

16,000 culture fans flocked to show

9:01am Friday 18th January 2013 in News

WANDERERS owner Eddie Davies is used to seeing the fans flock to the Reebok to watch his latest big money signings in action.

But it was something completely different which drew the crowds to Bolton Museum over a four-month period.

Just under 16,000 culture fans were bowled over by the multi-millionaire’s collection of stunning Japanese enamels exhibited at the museum from October 6 to January 6.

The number of visitors exceeded those who viewed the Fakes and Forgeries exhibition — which included the infamous Amarna Princess statue created by Shaun Greenhalgh from Bromley Cross — which attracted 10,000 visitors.

Some 30,000 went to see the Nat Lofthouse exhibition.

The total count for visitors to the art gallery for the period of the exhibition was 15,922.

The council’s cabinet member for culture, Cllr Chris Peacock, said: “I think this has put Bolton Museum on the map.

“Bolton Museum was the first place in the country to exhibit the collection from the Victoria and Albert (Fakes and Forgeries), and it shows Bolton Museum is capable of holding such an exhibition where people from the local and the wider community came to see it.”

Mr Davies officially opened The Seven Treasure Exhibition, which featured pieces he acquired and donated to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

The treasures came to Bolton as part of a touring exhibition.

The philanthropist donated almost 90 bowls and vases, mostly dating from the period known as the Golden Age of Cloisonné.

He still has 20 pieces in his private collection. Cloisonné is a way of enamelling an object, typically made of copper, where fine wires are used to outline the decorative areas and enamel paste is applied before the object is fired and polished.