What is Reddit's opinion of Antique Radio Repair and Restoration, 4th Edition?

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Not surprising - there's a lot of things to learn so a lot of things to remember to tell someone. Cabinet restoration, for example (I'm assuming it's shellac but who knows what's happened to it over the years). It's a shame this is out of print or I would recommend it to everyone that asks.

I think pointing them to the antique radio forum is one of the best things one could do. While some of them are kind of crotchety, they're overall pretty cool if you don't go in acting like an expert while asking for advice.

That's a neat looking radio. I like it. What does the tag on the chassis look like?

It looks like someone replaced the grill cloth but aside from that it seems pretty original. I wouldn't plug it in again. There are capacitors used to filter out the 60Hz hum from the AC that dry out (electrolytic) and leak (wax) which can cause them to blow open or start on fire. Until those are replaced, applying power to it is a risky proposition. If you ever feel like taking on a project, Antique Radio Repair and Restoration is a good book if you can find it. I can't really tell from the pictures whether it still has the original shellac finish, but if it does the refinish job can be fairly easy. You can find out if it's shellac by applying a small amount of alcohol - preferably denatured alcohol from the hardware store - to an inconspicuous spot. It will dissolve the shellac and get sticky. Polyurethane won't and is also a pain to get off.