original c. 1875-1885 vibrantly colored sapphire or "electric" blue glass blobtop j.a. lomax bottle with original wire stopper intact. the "attic" bottle remains in remarkable condition, considering age. the embossed markings found along the blown mold bottle are clear and crisp. the hutchinson style or type bottle contains the bottler's initials, in the form of oversized raised letters, within the sightly recessed or sunken circular-shaped base. john a. lomax entered the bottling operations in 1854, distributing soda water located at 38 w. lake street in chicago. in 1859, the plant was destroyed by fire and operations were moved to a two-story frame building located at 16 charles place. as business grew, john and his son george erected a large masonry building in 1871, which was consumed by the great chicago fire the same year. shortly after, lomax rebuilt an even larger four-story facility that was advertised as being the "largest bottling house in the world.” during their peak production years, lomax serviced more than five thousand of the approximately seven thousand saloons across the city of chicago. their bottling works furnished soda-waters, ginger ale, mineral and spring water, ales and other drinks. the company ceased operations in 1885.