very early antique chicago c. 1851-1855 cobalt blue glass iron-pontiled rare soda bottle manufactured for chicago bottler edward k. bebbington. the body is cleanly embossed in block lettering "aerated / sodawater/ ekb." the long tapering neck has significant stretch marks, whittling, and iridization. the very rare antique american chicago soda bottle is finished with an applied blobtop that exhibits slop and whittling. the bottle features many crudities typical of its age and date of manufacture, including bubbles, asymmetry, iridization, and surface wear. the pontiled base has a deep kickup with iron residue evident. side seams are very visible. edward bebbington was a junior partner with joseph entwistle and george lomax from 1852-55, on canal street between lake and fulton. in the late 1850s george lomax left the group to form a new bottling business with john meagher and joseph entwistle retired. bebbington continued to bottle soda ware on his own at this original address until 1858 when he moved to new quarters at 110 carroll for his final year in the bottling business. the bebbington "& co." embossing on the final bottles likely refers to a new junior partner bebbington took into the business c. 1857-58, john a. lomax.