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The article discusses the art and symbolism of the decorations on the cover of a medieval gospel book that once belonged to the Abbess Theophanu of Essen, which is part of the treasury of the Minster of Essen, Germany, formerly known as the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian. The author focuses on two ivory reliefs depicting, respectively, the birth and death of Jesus Christ. Topics addressed in the iconological analysis presented include the representation of Biblical stories in medieval art, the use of precious stones in book decoration and ornamentation, and the symbolic link between Jesus and Moses established by the design.

The article discusses the discovery of a book believed to be bound by cleric and bookbinder Johannes Richenbach, and compares the binding to Richenbach's other works. The book, an incunable, is a copy of the "Biblia Latina" printed by Anton Koberger and held at the Huntington Library. Details related to the design and construction of the binding, including the use of pigskin leather and Richenbach's process of decorative stamping, are presented. Bookbinding in Ulm, Germany is also discussed.