Ex Libris: Your handcrafted, personalized engraved stamp at Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche for the holiday season

Ex-Libris Paris is welcoming visitors at Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche until December 31, 2025, inviting you to create a one-of-a-kind stamp that truly reflects your personality. Crafted using traditional artisanal techniques passed down since the 15th century, each seal is thoughtfully designed and hand-engraved, telling your unique story. Whether applied to stationery, books, or gifts, it leaves a distinctive mark filled with your own character.

At Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche, Ex-Libris Paris offers an ultimate experience for those looking to leave their mark in the art of gift-giving, with a Christmas pop-up store running until December 31, 2025, ahead of the eagerly awaited return at Christmas 2026. For the holiday season, birthdays, receptions, or any occasion calling for a memorable "wow," the house presents the opportunity to craft a personalized ex-libris: a unique seal that adds style to every page and instantly elevates a gift into a piece of exceptional craftsmanship.

Becausean ex-librisis more than just a pretty stamp. First appearing in the 15th century, it was a personal illustration—a coat of arms, symbol, or monogram—that bibliophiles used to mark their books as their property. Ex-Libris Paris dusts off this gesture of yesteryear and anchors it in the present: initials-only or ultra-personal symbol, each creation becomes a sign of identity, a chic imprint, a cultural gesture that tells a story. Presented in a refined case, accompanied by its stamp, it is the gift idea that seals the deal: poetic, elegant, and absolutely unique.

At the helm, Lauren Easum, a graduate of the École du Louvre and specialist in heraldry, and Igor Telinge, a self-taught illustrator, begin by capturing an intention: a passion, a family home, a favorite animal, a personal motto. Then, following rules inherited from the 18th century, they assemble the symbols, refine the lines, and capture the whole in a stamp engraved by hand in their Parisian workshop. At Le Bon Marché, Lauren even draws live. It's no surprise that prestigious houses such as Louis Vuitton, Diptyque, Hublot, and Ladurée have already placed their trust in them.

Depending on your preference, you can choose a custom-madebookplate—based on a photo (house, boat, landscape, etc.), coat of arms, monogram, or symbol—or opt for a semi-custom, limited edition bookplate that can be personalized with a first name, last name, or initials. Coats of arms, frames, monogram styles, passions, and professions... everyone can compose their own universe, like a small cabinet of curiosities.