Spellcasting Items of Power Flavor Ideas

[InFerrumVeritas]

So in our world, my group was thinking about having two items of power available.  One would be a Staff that provided access to Evocation.  The other would be a tome that provides access to Thaumaturgy.  

I know these are a bit high on the power level, but our group has agreed to allow it if any of the players would like, with the knowledge that flavorwise these would be very valuable items likely for many to want to steal (as well as prevent others from having).  One of our players unwittingly has the staff, but knows nothing about it.

So now to my question:  Can you throw out some ideas from Mythology, Literature, etc. that would be great sources of information to draw on for the background of these items?

I was thinking an obvious choice would be to have these be from Prospero's collection that somehow avoided destruction.  Any other ideas?

[Saedar]

The Library of Alexandria or the sacking of Carthage might be good sources of where the items came from.

For example: The items were in the possession of a powerful wizard in ancient Rome. They were his foci. When the city was sacked, he was killed somehow and he, along with his trusty staff and tome, were burned. Maybe as part of his Death Curse, he wished for his power to go on and it was infused into the staff and tome, granting them each a measure of his ability.

[ways and means]

The seal of solomon would certainly grant thamaturgy and probably count as a focus item for summoning or diabloism

[Stonelaird01]

   How about these items being the tools with which humans were taught magic way back when. That way you would not only have power mad psychos after the book and staff you'd have the origional owners, historians, potentially even the white council?