16th C. Spanish Illuminated Choir Manuscript on Lambskin Parchment From the Library of Stanley Slotkin W/Framed Newspaper Article Dated 1955 - This amazing piece is a page from an ancient Spanish antiphonary, or choir book, believed to be used in the Cathedral of Seville around 1500. The manuscript is handwritten in ink, on Lambskin parchment. In 1954, Stanley Slotkin, well known Los Angeles businessman and founder of party and medical rental company "Abbey Rents", was vacationing in Spain when he received a call from the U.S. Government, requesting Slotkin to go to Seville to assist a chair factory having production difficulties. While there, workmen broke through a sealed room 30 feet underground, where they discovered a number of church relics that has been buried there for 200 years or more. Two huge choir books were discovered, with handwritten ink on lambskin parchment and thick wood covers. As a gesture of gratitude, the owner of the chair factory gave one of the illuminated manuscripts to Slotkin, who was reluctant to receive the gift. He finally accepted, and packed the 80 manuscript pages away with some dirty laundry and sent them home to the United States. Slotkin had an avid interest for archeology and antique books, and as with many of the other relics he collected over the years, donated many of the pages of this manuscript to institutions such as the Milwaukee Public Museum and St. Louis University. The parchment measures 35"L x 25"W and has been framed in glass for preservation. There is a handwritten message at the bottom of the sheet that reads; " From the Library of Stanley Slotkin, Founder of Abbey Rents-Circa 1150." The parchment is in excellent condition for an ancient document, and the ink is remarkably well preserved, with the black maintaining its darkness and the colors still brilliant. It is believed that the piece is so well preserved due to the fact that the book was buried, and unopened for possibly 200 years or more. The piece will come with two framed newspaper articles, dated April 23, 1955 and January 26, 1955, that announce the special gifts from Slotkin, to Marquette University, the Milwaukee Public Museum, City Art Museum, St. Louis University, and St. Louis Cathedral. The articles also stated that the pages were given a valuation of $1000 each by several experts. This is truly an amazing, museum quality investment piece, as historical manuscripts on parchment such as this will continue to rise in value. The framed newspaper article presentation measures 15.5"L x 12.5"W, and the framed parchment measures 36"L x 27"W.