In a printer for printing an attributed character by printing a character part and an attribute part separately, the invented printer or typewriter is so constructed that only an attribute part, e.g., an underline part or a bold face part, is printed in case a printed character is detected to already have the attribute, i.e., is underlined, or bold face, thereby preventing a character part of the printed character from being double printed. This results in improved quality in printed characters and in complete clear character erasures. The printer is also effective for overprinting attribute parts to over a desired range of printed character.