This very unusual Graphophone has a uniquely designed reproducer. It is unlike anything seen on any other cylinder phonographs, however it does bear a strong resemblance to the design of some disc reproducers. Columbia introduced this novel concept in 1904 and dubbed it the Type AW. The earliest examples were sold in the same highly decorative case as the conventional Type AO, but very soon thereafter the cabinet was redesigned to a much plainer serpentine style. Owners of Type AO Graphophones could purchase a kit to upgrade their machines to the AW reproducer. Since these were after-market conversions they still carried the AO designation on the nameplate, and collectors refer to them as Type AO/AW. Only those Graphophones which were set up at the factory with the special reproducer were marked as AW on the plate (as found on this machine), and only a few very early examples survive in this ornate cabinet design.

The sapphire stylus is mounted to a curved bar attached to a soundbox with a metal cover over the mica diaphragm. The sound quality is impressive, with superb volume and richness. However the AW never caught on with the public and few appear to have been sold.

The cabinet is perhaps the most ornate style Columbia ever produced, and was one of the last of the Victorian 'gingerbread' style cabinets before Columbia turned to more restrained cabinets by 1905.

The AW reproducer closely resembles the Columbia 'analyzing' reproducer used on their disc machines, but with a curved stylus bar and sapphire stylus. It was a short-lived innovation.