single original c. 1870-1872 vibrant cobalt blue squat blobtop chicago privy dug soda bottle manufactured for chicago bottler john lomax. embossing on the front body is obscured by casewear and irridization from having been dug. the pony-shaped bottle has sloping shoulders finished with a squat neck and an intact applied blobtop. the smooth, flat base has the initials "j.l" centrally embossed. crudities are typical of the age and date of manufacture, including bubbles, whittling, and minor surface wear. the bottle has heavy white and rainbow patination or discoloration from being dug. john a. lomax entered the bottling operations in 1854, distributing soda water 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.