Years ago, I developed an interest...but it faded. For a while I subscribed to this newsletter.
Antique Radio Classified - The International Publication for Vintage Electronics, Radios, Audio, TV, and Test Equipment Collectors
I also have an old Black dial Zenith portable...maybe late 40's, early 50's vintage. Model 6G601M,according to the schematic copy I picked up for it somewhere along the way. .
All intact except for it's missing front dial-speaker cover, and the rotted away leather top carrying handle. Tubes all there...dunno if they're good or not. Weighs a ton..I'm guessing around 35, maybe 40 pounds? AM band only. How that could ever have been called "portable", I'll never know. One of those "I'll have that restored someday" things. I know now I never will.
If you'll pay shipping, it's yours...even has the original owner's name & contact info inside. He died around 1958....
(edit) Did a search, found info with a photo. Evidently '41-'42. Speaker cloth intact on the one I have. That alone must be rare...
https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/zenith_6g601m_universal_ch6b03.html
(another edit) with your wood working skill, I'm sure you could replicate the missing front cover as seen in the above image. Might be tricky to find the right weave canvas cover though.