hard to find intact and all original c.1873-1880 yellow olive round-bottomed bottle manufactured for j.a. lomax in chicago, illinois. the richly colored, unusually shaped bottle is finished with an intact rounded collar or oval blobtop. the slim body is embossed around the entire cylinder with vertical lettering, "j.a. lomax / 14 to 18 charles place / chicago / this bottle / must be returned / medicated / aerated / waters". it features allover wavy irridization and minor discoloration. the only significant damage is a single smooth chip at the heel. 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. measures 9 inches in length.