I had one of these at the office. It was a wonderful machine. But this was in the 21st Century so it sat unused most of the time. Selectric IIs are big and take up a lot of room. Since I only rarely used it, I lent it to another department which wanted it, on condition I could use it when I needed it.
They got rid of it.
This was over a decade ago and I'm still angry about it. I've been on the hunt for Selectrics ever since. Many were either too expensive or didn't work. I bought a nice blue one and brought it home; worked for about 10 minutes and jammed. Lots of poking, prodding and research determined the repair was going to be hellish, expensive, and unlikely to succeed from someone with my level of expertise. So it got scrapped. Plus the sound-deadening foam inside was disintegrating. That didn't help anything.
Finally found this one at Eco Thrift in Sacramento, $5. Intact foam. Works. I couldn't get it out of the store fast enough. Got it home and powered it up and — it doesn't print. I tried advancing the ribbon (actually it's carbon tape) but no go. I can see an impression on the paper, so I believe the printer ribbon is no good. I replaced it and still couldn't type. I got so desperate that I read the instruction manual. It was set on Stencil. Push the button and it reset to normal typing mode.
Stencil mode? Really? I grew up when typewriters were still mainstream, when most middle-class households had a manual at least, or portable electric if someone had recently been to college. I have never had to cut a stencil with a typewriter.
So back to the narrative. I don't need one for work anymore. I bought this one largely because I've got a box of Selectric typing elements for it. I'm one of those people who, if I've got accessories for something, want whatever the base product is that the accessories go to. If someone gave me a case of .444 Marlin cartridges, I'd have to buy a rifle chambered for it so I could use them.
This one doesn't go to work; it'll stay here. Every once in a blue moon there are times when you want to type something and the computer printer won't do it (like filling in the form). Or you want to send a note to Tom Hanks (not sure how he feels about electric typewriters). Anyway, it's nice to have around. If only it didn't take up so much space.
Manufactured (according to Typewriter Database) in 1981.