Siemens Schatulle H52 – German Luxury Tube Radio from 1955/56

The Siemens Schatulle H52 is a large German table radio from the mid-1950s and belongs to the more elaborate “Schatulle” series made by Siemens. Its name already suggests the concept: the radio is not simply presented as a technical appliance, but almost like a piece of furniture or a small cabinet. With its wooden case, brass details and front doors, the H52 was clearly aimed at households looking for a high-quality radio set with an elegant appearance.

The model was produced around 1955/56. It is a superheterodyne receiver for long wave, medium wave, short wave and FM. The tube line-up includes 2 × EC92, ECH81, EF89, EF80, EABC80, EL84 and EM80, with a selenium rectifier. The set uses three loudspeakers: one large 20 cm main speaker and two smaller 10 cm speakers, giving the radio a fuller sound than simpler table receivers of the same period. Technical sources list the cabinet size as approximately 580 × 395 × 300 mm and the weight as about 18.5 kg.

A special feature of the Schatulle H52 is its built-in rotatable ferrite antenna. This allowed the listener to improve reception on the AM bands without turning the whole radio cabinet. Together with the magic eye tuning indicator, the push-button controls and the large illuminated dial, this made the H52 a technically advanced and comfortable receiver for its time.

Visually, the radio has a very characteristic appearance. When the doors are closed, it looks more like a refined wooden cabinet than a radio. When opened, the large dial, the loudspeaker cloth and the polished brass details give the set a very representative 1950s character. This makes the Siemens Schatulle H52 both a radio receiver and a decorative piece of post-war German domestic design.

Restoration Notes

This Siemens Schatulle H52 was carefully restored with the aim of preserving its original character while making the set presentable and reliable again.

The cabinet and chassis were cleaned inside and outside. The wooden exterior was refinished with several layers of hard oil, restoring the warm appearance of the wood without making it look overly modern.

The aged capacitors and electrolytic capacitors were rebuilt in a conservation-friendly way. Their original bodies were opened, fitted with modern components inside, and then closed again. This preserves the historical appearance of the chassis while improving electrical reliability.

The ferrite rod of the built-in directional antenna was broken and had to be repaired. It was carefully glued so that the antenna assembly could remain original and functional.

The original selenium rectifier was left in place, as the power supply voltages were found to be within a reasonable range after restoration.

The front doors also required mechanical work. The damaged door hinges were replaced, allowing the doors to open and close properly again. The cloth on the doors was renewed, restoring the clean and elegant look of the front section.

All brass parts were polished and then protected with Zapon lacquer. The upper brass decorative trim was damaged and was replaced. A defective fuse was also replaced.

After restoration, the Siemens Schatulle H52 once again presents itself as an impressive German luxury radio from the mid-1950s: large, heavy, technically well equipped and visually very distinctive, with the special charm of its cabinet-like front doors and polished brass details.

Technical Data

Item	Data
Manufacturer	Siemens & Halske / Siemens-Schuckert
Model	Schatulle H52
Year	1955/56
Country	Germany
Type	Table radio with front doors
Principle	Superheterodyne receiver
Wavebands	Long wave, medium wave, short wave, FM
Tubes	2 × EC92, ECH81, EF89, EF80, EABC80, EL84, EM80
Rectifier	Selenium rectifier
Loudspeakers	3 speakers: 1 × 20 cm, 2 × 10 cm
Cabinet	Wooden cabinet
Dimensions	approx. 580 × 395 × 300 mm
Weight	approx. 18.5 kg
Special features	Rotatable ferrite antenna, magic eye, front doors, brass trim