Libbey Glass Collectibles | Just Glass Online

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	Libbey Glass Collectibles
November 7th, 2008 by Just Glass Online Like it? Share it: Be Sociable, Share! Tweet Libbey Glass Company began their business life named the New England Glass Company. They produced a wide variety of glassware, and in the end expanded their business to sheet glass and windshields, but are more widely known for their cut glass and shaped drinking glasses. The company was, in the beginning producing multiple items including mercury glass, colored art glass, pressed glass, and a wide array of things like doorknobs and railroad lamps. The glassware of the Libbey company was quite often decorated with gilding but was also decorated with cutting and engraving as well, making it well sought after. Though the products were quality, the company found itself in over their heads financially and was sold in 1877 to William Libbey, and was renamed accordingly, and when the purchaser passes away just five years later, it was passed along to his son. Edward Libbey moved production to Toledo, Ohio in 1888, where raw materials were readily available and was instrumental in making Toledo Ohio synonymous with glass production. It was also at this point that the company became more lucrative, with the invention of a machine that could do a great deal of the world.. Workers were fired and the company, while popular, became less so in the immediate area. (excerpted from History of Ohio )" The Libbey Glass Company became even more profitable after Michael Owens, an inventor from Newark, Ohio, joined the firm. Owens developed a machine that could automatically produce bottles, tumblers, and glass chimneys. This invention dramatically increased production. It also lowered manufacturing costs, as the company was able to fire workers now that machines could do the work instead." The sword under the old signature in Libbeys glass mark is their silent nod to the renowned city of steel, Toledo, Spain, from which the name of the city in Ohio originates. Libbey hired Joseph Locke in 1882, who was a designer from England to take over the design works and while he worked at Libbey he patented several items that are quite collected . Some of those items include Peach Blow, Maize and Pomona,as well as Amberina, the Victorian era glass that offers the very distinctive amber to red shading as its trademark Libbey produced it right up to the new century. It was a difficult type of glass to make since the red shading came from the use of actual gold and it was costly to make, making it quite expensive to produce, but it did give the company recognition world wide. In the 1920s, Amberina was in production again for a short time, and is signed quite often so the collector can identify it. Libbey was also the number one producer of what was called Brilliant Cut glass from about 1878 to 1915 or 1916.The Brilliant cut was extremely highly leaded, and rumors had it using as much as sixty percent lead in the formula for its creatioin. Lead softened the glass, making it easier to cut and added sparkle, weight and giving it that wonderful clarity of ring when lightly struck. At the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904 the company won prizes for exhibitions of their fine glass. The war years were slim for everyone and LIbbey stuck to making hard to break glassware for hotels and restaurants, however in about 1933 they began producing fabulous stemware, which today is sought after for collection world wide. The designer Douglas Nash, a former Tiffany’s man, was employed to breathe life into the market for hand crafted high-end stemware. Some of the new offerings of the Libbey company that were made under Nash’s tutelage included the Art Deco stems, among them American Prestige, Knickerbocker, Syncopation (an ice cube shaped stem, is one of the rarest to find today), and Embassy. Embassy was an eagle-and-star etch that was designed especially for the US Pavilion at the ’39 World’s Fair. The Silhouette line c.1933 by Douglas Nash had a different animal decorating the stem of each type of glass including cats, greyhounds and monkeys, with each different type of glass featuring a different animal. The Silhouette glassware stems came with a selection of colors: black, opalescent, or frosted crystal. The Skyscraper stemsare very collectible and one type of Nash’s designs, the Victoria cameo etch, took more than 80 hours of engraving per glass and sold for about 2000 dollars per dozen glasses. This of course wasn’t a big seller during the depression and production of it ended in 1935. All of these glasses, including the Brilliant cut are sought after by collectors today and fortunately with the companies mark, can be readily identified. Libbey glassware has left its mark on collectors and given us a great deal to look for. Be Sociable, Share! Tweet

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	Comments
21 Comments » [...] Libbey Glass Company began their business life named the New England Glass Company. Original post [...] Pingback by » Libbey Glass Collectibles — November 7, 2008 @ 8:28 am I have 6 signed Libbey – Nash skyscraper stem,etching on martini. I was wondering if they have any value. Comment by Jane — February 15, 2009 @ 12:31 pm depending on where you go or who you sell to, the skyscraper stem glasses are very collectible. They were made circa 1933 I believe but I’ll have to double check that. I believe that production of the LIbbey Nash stuff was just a couple years and ended in 36 or 36 because it wasn’t actually selling well of course with the depression going on.. There are several pieces from that particular era that are very very collectible and the prices are quite high for some.. Comment by ladymacbeth — March 5, 2009 @ 1:14 pm I have a set of nine etched water goblets that were wedding presents to my grandmother in 1911. One of the set is signed Libbey. The top of the goblet is completely round, but about an inch down, the bowl almost becomes prismatic, but very, very gently. The stem is plain and round, but the base is etched with the same pattern as the top of the bowl. I have no idea what the pattern is, but there are alternating vertical fronds and what looks like grass stems going up from the stem, and around the top there is a floral design that is very ornate, with each flower having not only a leafy base but also a leafy side stem. The flowers sort of remind me of pansies or violets. How can I find out what pattern this is and what the value of the set might be? Comment by Jane Heidelberg — April 4, 2009 @ 7:57 pm Actually all of the goblets that I posted about above are signed. Still need to know if they are collectible and have value as a set of nine. Comment by Jane Heidelberg — April 11, 2009 @ 7:08 pm Sir, I am ramesh kumar ( Design enginer ) as now i doning shopping mall in bangalore. My design fully used toughen glass. so i want, what is the exact toughen glass size so i can finalise the design b’cos no of joint is there so i can align it and also i need the toughten glass spification like thickness, density etc., Thanks Ramesh Kumar.G Comment by Ramesh Kumar — June 26, 2009 @ 4:18 am I have a signed libbey glass water pitcher that has a double edged sword under the signature. I took this to the Toledo Museum of art about 6 yrs.ago when they were having a libbey glass authority. My pitcher seemed to stir up alot of interest among the appraisers. Any idea of the value. I bought this from an auction about 30 yrs.ago from the home of two spinster sisters. Thank You Comment by Maureen Stiles — September 28, 2009 @ 8:46 pm I have a HUGE Morning Glory bowl designed by Douglas Nash for a World’s Fair/Exposition in the 20s, I believe. My grandmother told me it is one of only two known to have been created. How can I find a need or value for this piece? Comment by Bev Vines-haines — November 9, 2009 @ 11:00 am Can someone tell me the history/value of a Libbey 37″ high cut glass oil lamp, made up of 5 pieces, each with the Libbey marking. Comment by Ed McGinley — November 10, 2009 @ 8:09 pm I have a set of 8 short round glasses in a metal caddy with a wooden handle. They are clear with a gold diamond outline and black diamond pattern, from the 50s or 60s,s no signature, no markings of any kind. Does anyone know who made these glasses? Comment by Mary Lou Lopez — January 28, 2010 @ 7:49 pm set of 8 6oz. sherbet or champagne, in original box, rose classic hostess glassware, perfect condition. any one know the value? Comment by Linda — February 2, 2010 @ 8:16 am A large cut glass lamp by Libbey is going to be valued in the thousands of dollars, and is probably a museum piece. The Libbey Nash bowl is going to go for thousands as well. Probably best to contact Sotheby’s or Christies’ auction houses about these. Comment by Jan Baer — February 11, 2010 @ 10:21 pm Can anyone tell me what a 9 under the cursive L on a Libbey beer mug stands for? Comment by Gail Jernigan — March 31, 2010 @ 10:49 pm i have a complete never out of the carton 1987 spuds mackenzie 4 flare pilsners, about to go to an auction and i want to know what the value is thank you Comment by kathy werner — August 9, 2010 @ 2:21 pm Hi, I have a 82 pc collection (Full set) of Libby crystal glasses from the mid to late 40′s. I also have pictures of my mom at the buffalo plant were they came from .They costed 6$ a half dozon at the time. How can i appraise these? Comment by Leonard — February 7, 2011 @ 3:05 pm Hi, I have some 1940′s Libbey bar ware, high/low ball glassses, swizzle sticks etc. It has a glit rim and gold band with a chain pattern on the gold band. Does anyone know what the name of this pattern is or where I can research it?? Thanks Russ Comment by Russ Davginon — May 2, 2011 @ 9:00 am Hello, i think that i saw you visited my weblog so i came to “return the favor”.I am attempting to find things to improve my web site!I suppose its ok to use some of your ideas!Simply want to say your article is as astonishing. The clarity in your post is just cool and i can assume you’re an expert on this subject. Well with your permission let me to grab your feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please carry on the rewarding work. Comment by Madelene Shafran — June 1, 2011 @ 2:15 am where can I find information on a Libbey Vintage Gold Leaf and Frosted glass set with 3 different sizes all in a round wire caddy with a matching glass ice bowl they were my mothers I am 53 and can remember seeing them almost all my life in the china cabinet she also has a complete set of 6 matching plates, bowls, coffee cups, saucers and platter with the same gold leaf pattern. Comment by sheryl — July 18, 2011 @ 9:01 pm They are not signed, but I have eight wine glasses that I ame very curious about. The base is smooth pink milk glass. The stem is in the shape of a naked woman holding a basket on her head. It is also pink milk glass. The bowl is clear amber. They belonged to my grandmother, probably from the 40′s or before. Are they valuable, or just a curiosity? Comment by Charlene — September 8, 2011 @ 2:49 pm My mom has a complete Hostess set of Libbey Currier & Ives glassware, I believe pattern #3012 in the original boxes and never used, 8 pieces each. Does this have any value? Where can I research this? Comment by Nancy Murray — September 25, 2011 @ 8:46 pm Hi! I bought 4 charming little Libbey glasses with a mark of an inverted cursive L with a circle around them with an 8 on the right of it and a 3 on the left side. They have three stripes -green/white/green with white foliage on them. I believe these were juice glasses. They have a little pedestal (indention) on the bottom. I LOVE them and would like to find out the approximate date. I know Libbey had very age specific marks (and a lot of them). I appreciate any help on this! Lid Comment by Lidia — October 23, 2011 @ 2:14 pm RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL Leave a comment Name (required) Mail (will not be published) (required) Website