Libbey Glassware is often mispelled as Libby. For over 200 years Libbey has been a leader in glass tableware. The Libbey story begins in the 1800s with Boston Porcelain and Glass Company.
Unfortunately that firm didn't succeed, but some of their assets ended up with the New England Glass Company (which would eventually become Libby several decades later).
New England Glass held exclusive rights to red lead, something that fine tableware needs for production. This gave New England glass the ability to remain competitive with the glassmakers of Europe. New England Glass was so successful that by the mid 1800s they had 500 employees and were the largest glassmaker in the world.
Come the 1870s New England Glass' stellar beginning had tarnished and they were continually loosing money to companies with more effective, cheaper glassmaking methods. Into the picture walks William Libbey to whom the Board of Directors leased New England's properties. In 1880 New England Glass became W.L. Libbey and Son, Proprietors.
In 1888 the glass works moved to Toledo Ohio, a city that offered a forty acres for the factory and more space on which employees could build homes. In 1892 this new facility would become formally known as Libbey Glass Company. The following year they secured rights to build a glass factory inside the Chicago Exposition where visitors could watch glass being hand cut and blown. Thanks to the attention provided by the Exposition, and an amazing glass dress Libbey put on display, his glass company's products began being featured in stores around the Country.
World War I was a trying time for Libbey as it was for many companies, Nonetheless the company managed to continue and in the 1920s made chip resistant tumblers. During the depression Libbey produced various promotional items (including one for Snow White) to stay in business.
After the end of WW II Libbey began focusing on household glassware, which would become its signature product even to this day. They offered a variety of affordable styles and designs, all of which were priced to be friendly to a consumer's budget. Today Libbey continues to be a leader in glass production in North America, exporting tableware to 80 countries.
What to Collect:
Libbey Glassware produced everything from doorknobs to railroad lamps. Much of their line included gilding or engraving, which makes it very collectible. Here are a few items for which a collector might want to watch:
1880s: designs like Maize, Amberina, Pomona and Peach Blow
Victorian: items bearing the trademark in amber shading
1915-1916: brilliant cut glass
1920s: signed Amerina
1930s: stemware by Douglas Nash (Knickerbocker, Syncopation, American Prestige and Embassy)
One of Nash's lines in particular (called Silhouette) features animals on the stem. The colors for this glassware included frosted crystal and black. This, along with Skyscraper stemware are both highly desired and show steady appreciation.
Here are the current Libbey Glassware listings on eBay:
Libbey Glassware is often mispelled as Libby. For over 200 years Libbey has been a leader in glass tableware. The Libbey story begins in the 1800s with Boston Porcelain and Glass Company.
Come the 1870s New England Glass' stellar beginning had tarnished and they were continually loosing money to companies with more effective, cheaper glassmaking methods. Into the picture walks William Libbey to whom the Board of Directors leased New England's properties. In 1880 New England Glass became W.L. Libbey and Son, Proprietors.
In 1888 the glass works moved to Toledo Ohio, a city that offered a forty acres for the factory and more space on which employees could build homes. In 1892 this new facility would become formally known as Libbey Glass Company. The following year they secured rights to build a glass factory inside the Chicago Exposition where visitors could watch glass being hand cut and blown. Thanks to the attention provided by the Exposition, and an amazing glass dress Libbey put on display, his glass company's products began being featured in stores around the Country.
World War I was a trying time for Libbey as it was for many companies, Nonetheless the company managed to continue and in the 1920s made chip resistant tumblers. During the depression Libbey produced various promotional items (including one for Snow White) to stay in business.
What to Collect:
