Congratulations!
Leaving that cabinet top alone for a while sounds like good advice. Once the finish has stabilized, it will be easier to figure out what it needs.
I would be very cautious about powering it up again right now. As you probably know, like every 55-year old TV, it's full of paper and electrolytic capacitors that need to be replaced. You don't want ruin the flyback or some other unobtainable part through impatience.
Regards,
Phil Nelson
Phil's Old Radios
http://antiqueradio.org/index.html