exceptonal early 1880's dark cobalt blue hutchinson style soda bottle with applied blob top collar or lip. this rare varation with "open" or outlined pin" logo was manufactured for john a. lomax, chicago, il. the bottle features the trademarked diamond shape open-lined pin logo, coupled with the "trademark registered" in embossed lettering. the center of the bottle contains the name and address ("j.a. lomax" "14 16 & 18 charles place") and the city ("chicago") above the bottle's heel. thhe surface contains case wear consistent with age. the applied blobtop is free from chips. the smooth base features the bottler's initials in the form of large embossed lettering. 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.