very rare late-nineteenth century vibrant deep purple hutchinson soda bottle manufactured for alois vana in chicago, illinois. central on the body is a cleanly embossed, open-lined shield containing the figure of a crowned lion facing to the right. above is embossed "alois vana / trade mark" and beneath the shield is the address "82-84 fisk st". closest to the heel is embossed "chicago ill". crudities typical to its age and date of manufacture include bubbles, and a whitish iridized surface near the bottom of the bottle. it is otherwise intact and in very good condition. alois vana was a chicago bottler who immigrated from bohemia (czech republic) by stowing away on a boat, and upon settling in chicago went into partnership with his brother-in-law, otto najmnik, in 1889. this later became vana, inc, where he worked during his lifetime perfecting flavors and mixing syrups. early on alois vana bottled alchohol as well as soft drinks, though during and after prohibition he concentrated on non-alchoholic beverages. his bottling facility was located in the pilsen neighborhood, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Chicago, having been built up after the great chicago fire of 1871, and an area populated by bohemians and later poles, slovenians, and yugoslavians. the crest on the bottle is a bohemain symbol drawn from the region's flag. vana distributed goods to the westside of chicago and the western suburbs, and delivered to bars, grocery stores and homes. bottles that are addressed 82-84 s. fisk street date to before october 1909, which is when chicago redesigned its address numbering system and became 1835-37 s. fisk st, and later carpenter street.