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Libbey Glass Over Time

28th February, 2011 - Posted by health news - No Comments

Libbey glass is known to homeowners, those in the hospitality industry, and collectors all over the world. Whether you need a durable and attractive set of tumblers for your kitchen, a style that will grace a restaurant that seats four hundred, or a Tom Collins glass decorated with carousel horses to fill out a vintage set inherited from your grandmother, you may be about to buy something made by this well-known name, now the world’s second largest manufacturer.

The company was started in 1818 in East Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was acquired by William L. Libbey in 1878. This was the time that glass was cut and polished by hand, using blanks made in molds which had replaced earlier hand-blown blanks. Iron or steel wheels were used to cut the patterns, which required great skill and a good deal of time to creat molds for items such as water pitchers.

St first American products were considered less desirable than European imports, although they were perhaps of finer quality because of the superior sand found in the New World and the genius of immigrant cutters and designers. In 1888, the Libbey family moved the works to Toledo, Ohio, to be near both the best sand, or silica, and bountiful supplies of natural gas to fire the furnaces.

The American glass began to win awards in international competition, and in 1893 two Libbey patterns, Columbia and Isabella, claimed the top honors at the world Exposition in Chicago. That year saw this acclaimed line at the White House, the court of King Edward VII, the mansions of industrial tycoons, and the homes of many international leaders.

Collectors prize the early examples of hand-made cut glass, a practice that declined with the turn of the century. After going to mass produced patterns, although many were still hand painted, the company abandoned all handmade items after World War II. It has kept its market dominance, now being the world’s second largest producer of glassware for both private homes and public establishments, home decor, and kitchenware. It distributes its products through many retail and wholesale outlets all over the world, and has manufacturing plants in many countries.

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.

If you want vintage items – dating from the 1940s to the ’70s – or the truly antique examples from the days of hand crafting, the internet is a great resource. There are informational sites as well as commercial ones, and this brand name is well-represented on auction sites. There are photo galleries and videos of exhibits and shows that will let you see items that range from glorious to whimsical. Prices run the gamut from affordable to ‘Wow!’

From an exquisite punch bowl or vase with facets that catch every bit of the available light to a set of durable but pleasingly heavy water goblets for your family table, Libby glass has things both new and old to fit every taste and need. Whether you want a collectible or a pretty item for everyday use, such as water pitchers, this name guarantees you will be happy with your own personal acquisition.