As the guardian of a mint working, and regularily used, 1909 Underwood No. 3 Standard 12" typewriter. While I am not interested in selling, I would like to caution you that it is a very heavy item, and shipping even from Canada to the US is prohibitively expensive, not to mention these machines unless crated and handled with extreme caution, are very fragile and easily damaged. Parts and repairs are not easy and many parts are simply no longer available, more so as many donor machines likely have the same issues, or robbed of their keys for jewelery and scrapped. Not to mention the high cost of  insurance required in the likely event it arrives damaged. I'd highly recomend keeping your search when you decide what to do, local. If I were to sell mine, I would never, ever consider shipping it unless it were prepaid by the buyer, and all the risks of loss or damage would be theirs .  I'm like most on here, fond of my old machine, and would never risk it being damaged in such a transaction. Having survived so long, it would be a major indescretion, and irresponsible on my part. 

I did, I was referring to the many options in color for the Selectric, I remember being fond of the brown for some reason. Maybe as it was when desktops still had only amber or green text, it was the novelty of being able to change a cartridge and getting another color. Same with the ability to change the ball for different fonts. It all still seemd so high tech back in the early 80's. ;-)

My 1909 Underwood has the red/black selector for use with the standard bichrome ribbon. I'm wondering what the red was traditionally used for as personally I've never used it, but it comes standard on most typewriters of this era?  I'm guessing it had some accounting purpose, but haven't found anything in my search explaining it. Also curious how many on here actually use the red setting for anything, or is it just a redundent feature?  

My 1909 Underwood No. 3 standard also has a feature where just before the beel, there is some restance to let you know you are getting near the end of a line allowing some advance notice as well. I suspect most Underwoods of this era had the same. Though I only own the one typewriter. As they say though, "Beware the man with only one Gun, as he most ashuredly knows how to use it." 

Umm, not surewhether to thank you, or fu...

I did mention I never had any lessons, and apprecitate the reply. I couldn't find any reference to the bell anywhere, but now it makes sense if I'm correct in assuming that the exact purpose for the bell; is for those 'touch typists' and secreataries who are looking aside at the source, rather than at the machine? 

As for the Bell, I am making small ajustments, to be easy on 120 year old wire and welds. Also not sure how loud it was supposed to be. Similar to the sad fact we will never experience that 'new car 'smell and ever feel the machine when it was factory new.  They must've typed so beautifully.