Roberta Cowell (21 results)
Published by Wien: Zsolnay, 1954
- Hardcover
Seller: Antiquariat Hartmut R. Schreyer, Augsburg, GermanyAntiquariat Hartmut R. Schreyer
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used
£ 12.36
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Add to basket211 S. Orig.-Leinen mit SchU.
Published by P. Zsolnay Verlag, Wien 1954., 1954
- Hardcover
Seller: Versandantiquariat Dr. Peter Rudolf, Berlin, GermanyVersandantiquariat Dr. Peter Rudolf
Contact seller4-star sellerAssociation member: GIAQ
Condition: Used
£ 13.24
£ 18.00 shippingShips from Germany to U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketOriginal-Leinen, 210 S.; mit mehreren Tafeln.
Language: English
Published by Wien, P. Zsolnay Verlag, 1954
Seller: DieBücheroma123, Prackenbach, GermanyDieBücheroma123
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Very good
£ 14.96
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Add to basketGebundene Ausgabe. Condition: Gut. ohne Schutzumschlag 77838x Sprache: Englisch Gewicht in Gramm: 500.
Language: German
Published by Wien, P. Zsolnay Verlag, 1954
- Hardcover
Seller: Antiquariat Armebooks, Frankfurt am Main, GermanyAntiquariat Armebooks
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Very good
£ 14.43
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Add to baskethardcover. Condition: Gut. Seiten; Zsolnay - 1. Auf. 1954 : Roberta Cowell - gb + Su - 9-49-5-L5 D5-8J18-MNWQ Sprache: Deutsch Gewicht in Gramm: 500.
Published by Freeland, Buenos Aires, 1954
- Softcover
- First Edition
Seller: Librería Monte Sarmiento, Santiago, SANTI, ChileLibrería Monte Sarmiento
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Very good
£ 15.89
£ 28.60 shippingShips from Chile to U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketEncuadernación de tapa blanda. Condition: Bien. 1ª Edición. 141 p. ; 20x15 cm., ilustraciones b/n, retrs. Pequeña rotura en borde superior de cubierta afectando nombre del autor. PRO-7°.
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Language: English
Published by William Heinemann Ltd, London, 1954
- Hardcover
- First Edition
Seller: Cromwell House, Oakham. Rutland, United KingdomCromwell House
Contact seller4-star sellerCondition: Used - Very good
£ 75.00
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Add to basketHardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. 1st Edition. A highly scarce and culturally significant first edition copy of Roberta Cowell's Story by Herself, published in London by William Heinemann Ltd in 1954. Includes the original preface by Canon Milllbourn. This groudbreaking autobiography documents the incredible life of Ro…berta Cowell (1918-2011). Born in Croydon, she achieved early success as a competitive racing driver and served bravely as a WWII fighter pilot and Spitfire ace. After surviving capture as a POW, she embarked on a journey of transition in the late 1940s, ultimately undergoing the first known vaginoplasty in England, and securing legal recognition of her female gender in 1951. A vital, foundational text in transgender and mid-century social history. This volume is in Very Good vintage condition. Bound in the original textured navy blue cloth with silver lettering stamped on the spine. The binding remains firm, square and solid. Minor expected shelf wear at the corners and spine edges. The interior pages are clean and bright with no tears.
Published by William Heinemann 1954, 1954
- Hardcover
- First Edition
Seller: Hard to Find Books NZ (Internet) Ltd., Dunedin, OTAGO, New ZealandHard to Find Books NZ (Internet) Ltd.
Contact seller5-star sellerAssociation member: IOBA
Condition: Used
£ 44.82
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Add to basketFIRST EDITION, octavo, blue buckram boards, silver gilt lettering to spine, frontispiece, xi + 154pp, illus/photos, VG (light warping & rubbing to spine, light scuffing & bruising to board extrems/edges, light warping & moderate soiling to boards, light to moderate tanning & foxing to page edges, light tanning & foxing to eps, m…inro insect damage to head of rear ep) in d/w, G+ (price clipped, heavy tearing to spine- rear cover hanging on bravely, heavy creasing & chipping/tearing to edges, light to moderate tanning & soiling).
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Language: English
Published by William Heinemann Ltd, 1954
- Hardcover
- First Edition
Seller: Chapter 1, Johannesburg, GAU, South AfricaChapter 1
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Very good
£ 201.56
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Add to basketHardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Fair. First Edition. Preface by Canon Millbourn. Publication of 154 pages. Frontispiece. The dust jacket is worn, chipped pieces and old tape residue marks. The boards are a touch edge worn, remain in good condition. Internally the pages are clean and complete. Tightly boun…d and presented in cellophane. The binding is excellent. GK. Our orders are shipped using tracked courier delivery services.
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Language: English
Published by William Heinemann, London, 1954
- Hardcover
- First Edition
- Signed
Seller: Dividing Line Books, Ridgewood, NY, U.S.A.Dividing Line Books
Contact seller5-star sellerHardcover. Condition: Good. 1st Edition. London: William Heinemann, 1954. First edition. Preface by Canon Millbourn. xi, 154pp; frontis; plates. Blue cloth stamped in silver to spine; lacking the jacket. Boards rather rubbed, lightly bowed, and with bumping to corners; binding a little loose, but secure. Good. Signed, inscribed,… and dated in year of publication by Cowell to front endpaper: "To Charles: Without whose help this book would not have been written. Very Sincerely, Roberta (Betty) Cowell July, 1954." Presentation copy of this trailblazing trans memoir by English race car driver and WWII fighter pilot Roberta Cowell (1918-2011). Though we have not established the identity of Cowell's inscribee, we hypothesize that it may have been Charles Eugene Dusseau, a doctor who in 1951 was responsible for having name and gender revised on Cowell's birth certificate, thus making her the first person to have their gender officially changed in the UK— an event seemingly worthy of the sincere gratitude offered here: "without whose help this book would not have been written." Cowell is also notable for being among the first trans people in the UK to undergo gender affirming surgery, carried out in her case by physician and author Michael Dillon (1915-1962), himself a trans man; the two enjoyed a close, if unequal friendship, which culminated in Cowell rejecting a marriage proposal from Dillon. Cowell's memoir propelled her to sudden fame, after several years of which she retired into relative obscurity for the rest of her life. An uncommon first, rarely encountered signed. Inscribed by Author(s).
Published by Zsolnay, Wien, 1954
- Hardcover
Seller: Löcker & Heck GmbH, Wien, AustriaLöcker & Heck GmbH
Contact seller3-star sellerCondition: Used
£ 13.24
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Add to basketin-8, 211pp, 24 Tafelabb., OLn. London 1918-, Jagdflieger im 2.Weltkrieg, 1952 zur Frau erklärt.
Published by William Heinemann Ltd., Melbourne, London & Toronto, 1954
- Hardcover
- First Edition
Seller: BOOKMARK, Auckland, New ZealandBOOKMARK
Contact seller3-star sellerCondition: Used - Very good
£ 67.22
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Add to basketHb. Condition: VG. None. First Edition. A colourful life of a Spitfire Pilot, Racing Car driver and the first one of a few people in the United Kingdom to undergo Gender Reassignment. Clean dark charcoal grey cloth on boards with silver titles. Spine: a slight concave dip down the spine; light rubbing to head & foot. Edges: ligh…t foxings. Eps: faint foxings. Clean contents. B/w illustrations. Binding is VG+. 154p.
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Published by Freeland, 141 pgs., Buenos Aires, 1954
- Softcover
Seller: Buenos Aires Libros, Buenos Aires, BA, ArgentinaBuenos Aires Libros
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Very good
£ 77.52
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Add to basketRústica. Condition: Buen estado. Primer libro editado sobre travestismo. Robert Cowell, fue hasta 1951 un hombre. En mayo de ese año, luego de una serie de intervenciones quirúrgicas cambió de sexo. Hasta ese momento su vida como hombre había sido perfectamente normal, desempeñándose como piloto de la R.A.F. (Fuerza Aérea Britán…ica). Corredor de automóviles en carreras de pista y era casado y con dos hijos. Esta autobiografía nos pone al corriente de muchas anormalidades del sexo. Ilustrado con láminas en b/n. Pocas marcas de lectura en lápiz rojo. [Libro en Español / Book in Spanish] === BIOGRAFIAS === Size: 8vo.
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Published by William Heinemann
- Hardcover
Seller: Chapter Two Books, Ammanford, United KingdomChapter Two Books
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Good
£ 99.99
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Add to basketHardcover. Condition: Good. First edition with green boards and white lettering on spine. No dust jacket. Light tanning/foxing to page edges.
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Published by FREELAND, 1954
- Softcover
Seller: Librería Kattigara, Santander, S, SpainLibrería Kattigara
Contact seller5-star sellerBuen estado de conservación, cubierta con pequeñas faltas en los bordes, cortes irregulares, sello de importador.
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Published by William Heinemann Ltd, 1954
- Hardcover
- First Edition
Seller: World of Rare Books, Goring-by-Sea, SXW, United KingdomWorld of Rare Books
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Good
£ 145.80
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Add to basketCondition: Good. 1954. First Edition. 154 pages. Illustrated dust jacket over blue cloth boards with lettering. Contains black and white illustrations. Clean pages and illustrations with light tanning. More pronounced to free endpapers and pastedowns. Minor water staining to top edges textblock. Binding remains firm. Boards have… mild edge wear with slight rubbing to surfaces and bumping to corners. Lettering is clear. Minor wear and water marks to boards. Unclipped jacket. Panels and spine have light edge wear with tears and creases. Ink stamp on flap. Moderate tanning and wear marks to flaps, panels and spine.
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Published by London, Picture Post, 1954, 1954
- Softcover
- First Edition
Seller: WHITE EAGLE BOOKS, PBFA,IOBA,West London, london, United KingdomWHITE EAGLE BOOKS, PBFA,IOBA,West London
Contact seller4-star sellerCondition: Used - Very good
£ 250.00
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Add to basketSoft cover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. 1st Edition. 50,60 & 48 pages. Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. 1st Edition. 50,60,48 pages. Very good pictorial paper covers. 3 no. This is a very rare unique set of 3 Picture Post Magazines from 1954 that tell the story of Roberta Cowell, the first person to undergo…gender reassignment surgery in the UK. When this series of articles were published they created a huge sensation and Roberta Cowell became famous around the world. Roberta's story features on several pages in each of the magazines. Three of them were published consecutively and tell her life story. The fourth magazine ( not available ) was published a few weeks later and is a follow up. All the magazines are complete and have minor wear in keeping with their age.
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Published by London, Picture Post, 1954, 1954
- Softcover
- First Edition
- Magazine / Periodical
Seller: WHITE EAGLE BOOKS, PBFA,IOBA,West London, london, United KingdomWHITE EAGLE BOOKS, PBFA,IOBA,West London
Contact seller4-star sellerCondition: Used - Very good
£ 450.00
£ 41.50 shippingShips from United Kingdom to U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketSoft cover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. 1st Edition. 50,60,48 & 56 pages. Very good pictorial paper covers. 4 no. This is a very rare unique set of 4 Picture Post Magazines from 1954 that tell the story of Roberta Cowell, the first person to undergo gender reassignment surgery in the UK. When this series of articles were…published they created a huge sensation and Roberta Cowell became famous around the world. Roberta's story features on several pages in each of the magazines. Three of them were published consecutively and tell her life story. The fourth magazine was published a few weeks later and is a follow up. All the magazines are complete and have minor wear in keeping with their age. Three of the magazines are in very good condition. The cover of one magazine has been repaired with tape, so we have classified them as good condition overall.
Published by British Book Centre, Inc, New York, 1954
- Hardcover
- First Edition
Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Near fine
£ 775.23
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Add to basketHardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. First American edition. Preface by Canon A. R. Millbourne. Octavo. ix, 208pp. Light blue papercovered boards with blindstamped front cover and spine titled in yellow. A bit of light tanning on the top and bottom edges, spine base gently bumped, nea…r fine in a very good or better dust jacket with some edge nicking, and the lower panel toned with a tiny bit of soil. A very nice copy of this pioneering autobiography by one of the earliest women to have undergone sex reassignment surgery.
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Published by British Book Center, Inc, New York, 1954
- Hardcover
- First Edition
Seller: Type Punch Matrix, Silver Spring, MD, U.S.A.Type Punch Matrix
Contact seller5-star sellerdj. First printing. First US edition of one of the earliest autobiographies published by a woman to have undergone sex reassignment surgery. While scholar Sandy Stone claims in her landmark 1991 essay "The Transsexual Empire Strikes Back" that Hedy Jo Star's I CHANGED MY SEX! (1962) was the "first fully autobiographical book" by… a transgender person, that first is better claimed by Roberta Cowell, whose memoir appeared eight years earlier in both the UK and US. Stone's article distinguished between works like Star's or Cowell's and prior works like MAN INTO WOMAN by Lili Elbe (various editions, 1931-1933), which was heavily edited posthumously from diaries. Cowell's book therefore arguably represents just the second published work by a person to have successfully undergone SRS. It was preceded, as far as our research indicates, only by Michael Dillon's SELF - which was not autobiographical - eight years earlier. Indeed, Dillon himself was instrumental in Cowell's transition. The two met after Cowell read Dillon's landmark work, which was "the first sustained argument for technologically mediated sex change" (Hausman). Cowell recounts in STORY: "Then came the surprise, a surprise so shattering that the scene will be crystal-clear in my memory for the rest of my life. He sat there, sucking at his pipe and toying with his coffee cup. He was silent for a minute or two, and I was idly wondering how long that beard of his had taken to grow. Suddenly, 'I don't really see why I shouldn't tell you,' he said, 'but five years ago I was a woman.' Such a possibility had never entered my head for one moment. As I looked at him now it seemed absolutely and utterly fantastic, quite unbelievable, but I was not then fully aware of all that modem medical science could do." Dillon subsequently became the doctor to undertake the first of Cowell's gender confirmation surgeries, a procedure done under the strictest secrecy due to so-called "mayhem" laws. A subsequent surgery allowed Cowell to formally change her birth certificate, but after the initial publicity surrounding her transition, Cowell largely retreated from public life. However, she paid a heavy price: once a military officer, pilot, and successful professional race car driver, she struggled financially the rest of her life before dying in 2011 - her funeral reportedly attended by only six people. An important work from a transgender pioneer. While we've handled the UK first a few times, this is the first we've encountered the US edition, which seems decidedly more scarce. 8'' x 5.25''. Original full blue cloth. In original unclipped ($3.00) jacket. Illustrated in two inserted sections with black-and-white photographs. 208 pages. Contemporary owner inscription penned to front endpaper. A couple small, faint dampstains to rear panel, unobtrusive. Some edgewear, with spot rubbed away to foot of spine; crease to front flap. Bottom edge of boards a bit scuffed. Overall, bright and sound. Very good plus in very good jacket.
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Seller: EL RINCÓN ESCRITO, Villanueva de las Carretas, BU, SpainEL RINCÓN ESCRITO
Contact seller5-star sellerTraducción del inglés por Lydia y José García Díaz. Editorial Freeland, Buenos Aires, 1954, rústica ilustrada, frontis, 8º mayor, 141 p., 211 g. Ilustraciones en b/n fuera de paginación, señales de uso en cubiertas, sello de caucho, buen estado. autobiografías, transexualidad.
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Published by William Heinemann Ltd, London, 1954
- First Edition
Seller: Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.Burnside Rare Books, ABAA
Contact seller5-star sellerdj. First edition. First edition. xii, 154 pp. Bound in publisher's navy cloth with silver spine lettering. About Very Good with light dampstaining to cloth along bottom edge, slightly musty smell, a little foxing along top edge, in About Very Good dust jacket with toned spine panel, head and tail chipped, dampstaining along bot…tom edge. Uncommon. In The SAGE Encyclopedia of Trans Studies Genny Bemyn calls this "an account by the woman who had the first known vaginoplasty in England and who was legally recognized as female in 1951. Being the first British trans woman to undergo surgery and having achieved some fame previously as a race car driver, Cowell's transition made headlines in Britain.".
