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Libbey Glass Year After Year

Libby 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.

Today the company is represented in all the major markets of the world, selling kitchenware, tableware for both private and public establishments, and decorative items. It distributes its products through mass merchandisers, specialty shops, and wholesale supply houses on several continents. It is a public company, traded on the stock market, and is still growing.

The history of the business side of this giant company is almost as interesting as the products it makes, as it has been acquired once and has assimilated many other companies, as well as their markets. It has maintained its prominence by superior innovation and technology, high quality, and excellent customer service. You can check online to find a lot of information on the company, the products it makes, and the career opportunities it offers.

Collectors value early examples of craftsmanship highly, and many outstanding pieces are in museums and private exhibits. Antique dealers offer hand-made items - some too early to be signed, since the American origin was considered at first to be a handicap - and later, vintage styles can be found in flea markets, antique centers, and auction sites online. For an education and an overview, check online. Many collector clubs have informational websites and photo galleries, and there are many commercial sites that have wonderful photos as well.

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.
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