mid-nineteenth century (1850's) aqua porter style soda or mineral water bottle with inverted tapered lip manufactured by joseph curtis buffum in pittsburgh, pa. in open lined block letters, "j.c. buffum" is embossed around the bottle. the crude applied finish, an inverted tapered lip, was used on soda bottles manufactured in pittsburgh during the era that pontiled bottles were being manufactured. its use then stopped and was reintroduced when matthew's gravitating patent shaped bottles were manufactured. when hutchinson's patent closure was introduced, this style of lip was used until the rounded lip replaced it. joseph curtis buffum went into the bottling business in 1845 with his brother. they were located at 209 and 211 market street, in pittsburgh. according to an 1894 publication j.c. buffum & co. bottled soda water and beer, the latter having become an important industry since alcohol was endorsed as medicinal, having good effects as a tonic. buffum was well-known and respected as a businessman, and distributed his goods widely through pennsylvania, ohio, virginia and west virginia.