Nicole, most people selling typewriters know nothing about them. It's buyer beware out there! Once you get to know certain machines you can look at the paper bail in the pictures and see how high the numbers go on it; some models I can glance and see by the size of the marks whether it's elite or pica.

The type sample thing is a total bugbear, because of course you do want to see that when they say 'keys work' they mean the keys actually work and so does the carriage, etc. And equally of course, without a ribbon, you can still make a type sample if you have a piece of carbon paper, but no one under the age of 60 would probably a) think of that or b) have a piece of carbon paper. I think you get to be practiced at spotting who is trying to get away with something and which machines are likely to be good - it's like a sixth sense. But you don't need to buy any typewriters now for at least a week! 

Funny that you prefer such small type - I've been on a drive for more pica machines, and now I've got a nice selection I'm feeling drawn to use the elite ones. You can't win.

You have to look at buying a typewriter much like you'd look at buying a used car.  For one thing, an old typewriter 99.995% of the time has been used.  For another, you have to look at the kind of wear and tear that's visible, and how well it was taken care of (was it oiled often--too much or too little; was it abused, etc.).  Ask if you can try it out, and see what problems the machine has.  See what it does, or doesn't do.  Does the carriage move smoothly?  Does the carriage move at all?  Do the type bars (or element) stick?  Does the bell ring?  I remember buying what was essentially a stripped down Royal QDL that had manual margin settings, plus I had to steal the bell mechanism out of another typewriter I was using for parts.  And speaking of tires, how do the rubber feet look?  If you have parts machines (always a plus), and you think you can whip that baby into shape, and if you don't need a bank loan to buy it, then take it up front and make out adoption papers!!

I am looking for a typewriter with a large typeface  to buy or to hire for a week-Can anyone help me with this?
I have just joined the forum and am hoping to be able to locate somewhere near London a Smith Corona Classic 12 6L for a week for a project i am working on that requires a large typeface. it doesn't need to be that machine, but a machine with the largest and clearest typeface anyone can suggest.
All suggestions are welcome -
Thank you
Mary

I believe that Remington had at least four standard pica variants (they might have just differed by the weight of the character), and that each manufacturer's pica (and elite) typeface was proprietary (which is why typeface forensics made it possible to identify manufacturers). Royal, for example, had its own type designers who were not only responsible for the standard typefaces used in the company's machines, but for custom orders as well. Some large corporations actually had their own typefaces, which were designed by Royal to be included in the machines those corporations ordered.