Kitchen Design Toledo
Libbey Glass History
Libby glass has been an industry leader since the 1880s. Starting in the northeastern United States and making its name known worldwide from Toledo, Ohio, this American product is now produced and sold all over the world.
William L. Libbey bought a Cambridge, Massachusetts, glass works in 1878 and ten years later the family moved its operation to Toledo, where the sand was first quality and there were ample supplies of natural gas to fire its furnaces. The new location also had both railroads and steamships for transportation of raw materials and finished products such as water pitchers.
By 1893, Libbey patterns were winning world renown at the World Fair, or Exposition, held at Chicago. ‘Columbia’ and Isabella’ took the top awards in this event’s international competition. The family saw its glassware at the White House, the court of King Edward VII, the mansions of fabulously wealthy industrial tycoons, and the palaces of many world leaders.
In 1893 the world fair, called the World’s Columbian Exposition, was held in Chicago. Although there were exhibits from all the prominent producers in the world, Libbey’s patterns of Columbia and Isabella took the top honors. This name brand was ordered by industrial tycoons, the White House, England’s King Edward VII, and the presidents of many countries.
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.
If you are interested in either learning more about historic brands of glassware or about the business side of this international company, go online to the manufacturer’s own website. You will find its business profile, its mission statement and guarantees of quality, and career opportunities for those seeking employment with a dynamic world player. For information on this brand as a collectible, look for antique dealers’ postings and the pages of collector’s clubs and associations.
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!’
Today you can get a set of contemporary drinking glasses, a beautiful condiment server or vase, a water pitchers, or premium baking dishes made by this well-known name. You can find whole sets or single pieces of vintage items – hand-painted tumblers with carousel horses or Christmas wreaths or elegant, gold-rimmed goblets with raised, lacy foliage – on auction sites and in antique shops and emporiums. Libbey glass is good for both display and utility.
ABC Countertops – Toledo, OH