BRUNNE Claire, Caroline Pétiniaud MARBOUTY. Love and philosophy, poetry. Paris, Hachette, 1855; in-12 of [2]-ii-208 pp, red chagrin, spine with 5 nerves set with a gilt fillet extending over the boards, framed with uninterrupted vertical fillets running around the boards and spine, title and author gilt on the upper board in an elegant elongated font, ivory moire lining and endpapers in a large frame interspersed with alternating stars and gilt circles, gilt edges (A. Despierres, rel. de l'Empereur). This extremely rare first edition was printed with particular care by Henri Plon, and a few copies may have been commissioned. Originally from Limousin, Caroline Marbouty (1803-1890) wrote under the pseudonym Claire Brunne. She met Balzac in 1833 and, to escape her husband, she accompanied Balzac to Italy in 1836, disguised as a young man to avoid gossip. After this long affair, she published Une Fausse Position in 1844, a roman à clef in which Balzac is ruthlessly portrayed. Delightful binding by Alexandre Despierres, the Emperor's bookbinder, with a simple but original decoration and perfect elegance. A very fine copy in every respect, certainly given to a close friend of the author or for herself. Only 3 copies listed in the Catalogue Collectif de France.