Pension and Non-pension Postretirement Benefits (Net Benefit Costs) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		0 Months Ended		3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012 Defined Benefit Pension Plans and SERP [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Defined Benefit Pension Plans and SERP [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Defined Benefit Pension Plans and SERP [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Defined Benefit Pension Plans and SERP [Member]	May 31, 2012 U.S. Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 U.S. Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 U.S. Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 U.S. Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 U.S. Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Non-U.S. Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Non-U.S. Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Non-U.S. Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Non-U.S. Plans [Member]	Aug. 01, 2012 Libbey U.S. Salaried Defined Benefit Pension Plan and Supplemental Employee Retirement Plans [Member] [Member]	Jul. 30, 2012 Libbey U.S. Salaried Defined Benefit Pension Plan and Supplemental Employee Retirement Plans [Member] [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Libbey U.S. Salaried Defined Benefit Pension Plan and Supplemental Employee Retirement Plans [Member] [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Non-Pension Postretirement Benefit Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Non-Pension Postretirement Benefit Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Non-Pension Postretirement Benefit Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Non-Pension Postretirement Benefit Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 U.S. Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 U.S. Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 U.S. Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 U.S. Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Non-U.S. Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Non-U.S. Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Non-U.S. Plans [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Non-U.S. Plans [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Scenario, Forecast [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost	$ 1,661,000	$ 1,762,000	$ 5,576,000	$ 5,393,000		$ 1,543,000	$ 1,372,000	$ 4,468,000	$ 4,118,000	$ 118,000	$ 390,000	$ 1,108,000	$ 1,275,000				$ 368,000	$ 340,000	$ 1,104,000	$ 1,020,000	$ 368,000	$ 340,000	$ 1,103,000	$ 1,019,000	$ 0	$ 0	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Interest cost	5,029,000	5,204,000	15,309,000	15,853,000		3,702,000	4,014,000	11,548,000	12,042,000	1,327,000	1,190,000	3,761,000	3,811,000				885,000	938,000	2,650,000	2,816,000	857,000	908,000	2,570,000	2,724,000	28,000	30,000	80,000	92,000
Expected return on plan assets	(5,535,000)	(4,873,000)	(15,671,000)	(14,635,000)		(4,939,000)	(4,307,000)	(13,885,000)	(12,879,000)	(596,000)	(566,000)	(1,786,000)	(1,756,000)
Amortization of unrecognized:
Prior service cost	564,000	617,000	1,735,000	1,871,000		494,000	540,000	1,537,000	1,622,000	70,000	77,000	198,000	249,000				105,000	105,000	316,000	316,000	105,000	105,000	316,000	316,000	0	0	0	0
Loss / (gain)	1,451,000	1,279,000	5,230,000	3,869,000		1,302,000	1,166,000	4,822,000	3,496,000	149,000	113,000	408,000	373,000				229,000	272,000	686,000	818,000	229,000	277,000	687,000	831,000	0	(5,000)	(1,000)	(13,000)
Settlement charge	(93,000)	0	(550,000)	0		0	0	(457,000)	0	(93,000)	0	(93,000)	0
Curtailment charge (credit)	(125,000)	0	(125,000)	0		(125,000)	0	(125,000)	0	0	0	0	0
Pension expense or non-pension postretirement benefit expense	3,138,000	3,989,000	12,604,000	12,351,000		1,977,000	2,785,000	8,822,000	8,399,000	1,161,000	1,204,000	3,782,000	3,952,000				1,587,000	1,655,000	4,756,000	4,970,000	1,559,000	1,630,000	4,676,000	4,890,000	28,000	25,000	80,000	80,000
Settlement and curtailment charge			400,000
Discount rate														3.87%	5.00%
Effect of change in discount rate on net periodic benefit cost																1,100,000
Retirees subject to health reimbursement arrangement, minimum age																													65 years
Life insurance benefit, percent of retiree's final salary																													20.00%
Life insurance benefit, maximum																													10,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions [Abstract]
Estimated employer contributions to defined benefit plans in remainder of 2012	4,200,000		4,200,000														4,700,000		4,700,000
Employer contributions made to defined benefit plans	$ 3,900,000		$ 98,700,000		$ 79,700,000												$ 1,000,000		$ 3,000,000