Libbey Glass History
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Libbey Glass Throughout The Years
Libby glass is a leading manufacturer of glass items on the international scene. It began in northeastern United States and grew through ceaseless emphasis on innovation, customer service, quality, and expanding markets. Beginning with cut glass handmade by artisans, it now mass produces glassware of all types for use in private homes and the hospitality industry.
Libbey Glass Products
In 1878 William L. Libbey acquired a company that had been producing glassware in Cambridge, Massachusetts, since 1818. During the Brilliant Period, the heyday of American cut glass, the company gained in prestige with its hand cut and polished items. Artisans used iron or steel wheels to cut patterns in hand-blown blanks. The development of molded blanks expanded the available supply and the market for products such as water pitchers.
American products were competing with European imports, but with ingenuity and the high-quality sand of the New World, it gradually made a name for itself. In 1888 the Libbey family moved its glass works to Toledo, Ohio, to be close to the best sand and ample reserves of natural gas, which had replaced coal as the fuel to fire the furnaces.
The earliest products were cut and polished by hand, using iron or steel wheels to grind and expert craftsman to guide the process. Hand-blown blanks were replaced by molded and later shaped blanks. Subsequent innovations introduced machinery and acid baths to replace the hands-on processes. Mass production of more affordable products became the focus of the twentieth century. Many items were hand-painted, but this was discontinued after World War II.
The company abandoned its exquisite hand cutting practices in the early 1900s and all handmade products after World War II, when it began to focus on production for a large market. It is now the second largest producer of tableware, cookware, and decorative items for homes and restaurants. It can be bought in many retail outlets, both mass marketers and specialty shops, as well as restaurant supply houses.
The company has undergone many changes, being an acquisition as well as making numerous acquisitions of its own over the years. It has acquired both manufacturing plants and a large market share of the commerce on several continents. It prides itself on innovative technology that makes quality higher while keeping costs down and on its signature customer service. It offers both product information and career opportunities online.
Antique and vintage Libbey products are readily available as a prized collectible. Examples of pressed, painted, and frosted items are plentiful on eBay, while the earlier hand-cut treasures are found on antique store sites and collector club classified advertisements. Prices range from a few dollars to an amount that represents a real investment, depending on the rarity and the amount of hand-craftsmanship involved in an individual item.
Libby glass can be a frosted tumbler, a tall glass decorated with a carousel horse, an exquisite punch bowl too heavy to carry, a water pitchers, or a set of utilitarian drinking glasses for your kitchen. Knowing the history of what you own or see in a shop, as well as the company's pride in its products, will make any item more appreciated, whether it is in your dishwasher or on a display shelf.
American products were competing with European imports, but with ingenuity and the high-quality sand of the New World, it gradually made a name for itself. In 1888 the Libbey family moved its glass works to Toledo, Ohio, to be close to the best sand and ample reserves of natural gas, which had replaced coal as the fuel to fire the furnaces.
The earliest products were cut and polished by hand, using iron or steel wheels to grind and expert craftsman to guide the process. Hand-blown blanks were replaced by molded and later shaped blanks. Subsequent innovations introduced machinery and acid baths to replace the hands-on processes. Mass production of more affordable products became the focus of the twentieth century. Many items were hand-painted, but this was discontinued after World War II.
The company abandoned its exquisite hand cutting practices in the early 1900s and all handmade products after World War II, when it began to focus on production for a large market. It is now the second largest producer of tableware, cookware, and decorative items for homes and restaurants. It can be bought in many retail outlets, both mass marketers and specialty shops, as well as restaurant supply houses.
The company has undergone many changes, being an acquisition as well as making numerous acquisitions of its own over the years. It has acquired both manufacturing plants and a large market share of the commerce on several continents. It prides itself on innovative technology that makes quality higher while keeping costs down and on its signature customer service. It offers both product information and career opportunities online.
Antique and vintage Libbey products are readily available as a prized collectible. Examples of pressed, painted, and frosted items are plentiful on eBay, while the earlier hand-cut treasures are found on antique store sites and collector club classified advertisements. Prices range from a few dollars to an amount that represents a real investment, depending on the rarity and the amount of hand-craftsmanship involved in an individual item.
Libby glass can be a frosted tumbler, a tall glass decorated with a carousel horse, an exquisite punch bowl too heavy to carry, a water pitchers, or a set of utilitarian drinking glasses for your kitchen. Knowing the history of what you own or see in a shop, as well as the company's pride in its products, will make any item more appreciated, whether it is in your dishwasher or on a display shelf.
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