In search of where the Music Box Book of Hours might eventually belong, Sido plunged into the origins of the rich collection of French medieval manuscripts at the Bibliothque nationale de France. This history was as convoluted as the unfolding history of the Music Box Book of Hours.

At the time of the development of what was originally the Library of the Dukes of Burgundy, Burgundy included Belgium and The Netherlands, and what Griff referred to as "playoffs" were continuously occurring between France, the low countries, and a number of other European countries -- while (depending on where you lived), The Hundred Years War between France and England held center stage. The concept of museums was not well-developed, but books and Libraries were considered an important source of wealth and power. There were at least 900 manuscripts in the original Library of the Dukes of Burgundy when Charles V of France named this collection The Royal Library. It contained the work of Christine de Pizan, and the Roman de la Rose, among many other priceless manuscripts. In 1368-1369, Charles V moved it to the fortified Louvre Palace.

However, alignments shifted, and in the midst of The Hundred Years War, after the death of Charles V's son, the Royal Library was acquired by John of Lancaster, Duke of Bedford, General of the English Army in France and regent of France. At this time what had been the French Royal Library was moved to England, where it remained until in 1435 it was dispersed at Bedford's death. The associated narrative of the appearance in Belgium of The Library of the Dukes of Burgundy was another story.

But the parallel manuscript collection of Queen Charlotte of Savoy, Mother of Charles VIII and subsequently the role of Anne of Brittany's husbands Charles VIII and Louis XII in the evolution and eventual return to Paris of what became the French Royal Library was familiar territory in this extraordinary history.