I am in the process of restoring a 1929 Atwater Kent model 46. Very similar - but the speaker grill design is slightly different. Its amazing to hear music come out of these old radios. Actually, I don't like to play "modern" music through it - just doesn't seem right. I try to limit it to the big band shows when they are available.

There is an interesting Radio and TV museum at Camp Evans in Wall Township, New Jersey, known as infoage.org. Marconi was there in 1912 and all major radar development was done at Camp Evans. Since it closed the buildings and grounds are now being made into various museums, such as computer, ship wreck, military vehicle, military communications, etc. It is a National Historic Site and usually open on Sunday afternoon's.

The shade was an advert for Pooley Radio Cabinet Company.
http://www.antiqueradio.com/Nov07_Arnold_Pooley.html

Does some fountain of knowledge (such as tterrace or Dave) have any insight as to what the chain and pulley mechanism visible through the glass behind the potted palm is?

I wonder what the lamp shade was advertising?

The curtained display looks as though it could also serve as a Punch and Judy stage.

He said they collect too much dust if they're horizontal. Did I mention he was AR? I didn't ask but he probably thought the vertical lines helped make the room look taller. Did I mention he was AR?

Your friend who had all the screw slots perfectly vertical would drive me nuts. Everyone know they're supposed to be perfectly level, parallel to the floor.

Well, then here. All better. Sadly the screws now are severely catty-wumpus.
In the Anal Retentive Department, I was wandering around a notoriously AR friend's house one day and noticed that all the screws in the electrical wall plates had their slot aligned perfectly straight up and down.

Q: What kind of mechanism is that behind the glass on the right (behind the plant)?

O: There apparently wasn't a shoeshine stand close by.

Being anal retentive has a lot of drawbacks, like you notice things that others don't give a hoot about, let alone notice, like the off-level grill fabric on the radio. It is skewed about 5 degrees clockwise.

The console radio on his right looks more like a safe.

It looks like he's pitching the radio to a young Spencer Tracy!

Tracy would have been 28 at that time.