The Libbey story begins in 1818 in East Cambridge, Massachusetts, with the establishment of the New England Glass Company.  The company, which focused primarily on the production of cut glass, was said to have grown to be the largest glass plant in the world by the mid-century.  In 1870, William L. Libbey joined the New England Glass Company as an agent and sales manager, and four years later, his son Edward Drummond Libbey joined as a clerk. In 1880, Edward became partner with his father in the firm and change the name to New England Glass Works, Wm. L. Libbey & Sons Props.

In 1883, Edward Drummond Libbey gained full control of the company when is father died.  In 1888, he moved the business to Toledo, Ohio, where key natural resources for making glass were abundant.  The City of Toledo gave Libbey four acres in North Toledo to build the factory and 50 lots to build housing for the new glassworkers. On March 17, 1888, Libbey officially broke ground for a new glass factory.  Five months later, a special train of glassworkers and their families, together with 50 carloads of equipment, arrived in Toledo from Boston.  The current Libbey glass factory is still located on the original four acres of land.

In 1892, the company changed its name to The Libbey Glass Company. From 1888 until the 1920’s, Libbey’s primary product was brilliant cut glass.