Pat,
It sounds like you have a family heirloom there. I would go slow on any repairs or refinishing since old items are frequently more valuable with their original finish and hardware no matter how bad it is. I know this by sad experience after I messed up an old clock by refinishing it. A collector should be able to tell you what you have. It could have been built by a master and sold by Abercrombies, or it could have been mass produced for Sears. Either way it is a family treasure that I would keep to pass along. I am not sure I would use it since, not knowing how it was cared for, it may have become brittle over time. The tips without guides are curious. Can you show us some pictures of it?