rare original and intact c.1856-1858 light cobalt blue iron pontiled soda bottle manufactured for john dearborn in new york. the low, steep shoulders are finished with a long, narrowing neck and an intact applied blob top that has a minor chip on the bore edge. the front body is embossed "dearborn & co. / bottlers /83 -3rd ave / n.y" with a backwards "n" in the state initials and casewear in the address. side seams run from base to neck. the base has a deep kickup with heavy residue evidencing manufacture with iron pontil. crudities are typical of its age and date of manufacture, including whittling, bubbles, and surface wear. one of the most recognizable new york city bottles of the "iron pontil" age are the soda and mineral water bottles of john and alexander dearborn. the brothers entered the bottling business as partners in 1848. at that time the dearborns took over the business of another successful new york mineral water maker, a.w. rapp, who was in business from 1843-1847. in 1844, city directories list alexander as operating a "coffee saloon" at 107 nassau street in lower manhattan, and john dearborn as a root beer maker on rivington street. the earliest dearborn bottle, c. 1846-47, is embossed "a. dearborn & co." with the "co" being a mr. william boggs, not john dearborn. by 1849 the business was j & a dearborn, and by 1853 john mcchesney had joined as a third partner, with bottles then produced with embossing "j&a dearborn & co.". by 1856, following mcchesney's death, john dearborn is listed as being the only or dominant business partner in the soda business. from 1856-1858 "dearborn & co." is embossed. later sodas and beers from the 1860's are simply embossed "dearborn", suggesting a single person was running the company. 1868 was their last year in business.