Borrowings (Interest Rate Swap Narrative) (Details) (USD $)						3 Months Ended							3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 Libbey Glass Senior Notes New Senior Secured Notes		Jun. 29, 2012 Libbey Glass Senior Notes Old Senior Secured Notes		Dec. 31, 2012 Fair Value Hedging Interest Rate Contracts Prior to May 15, 2015 Libbey Glass Senior Notes New Senior Secured Notes	Jun. 30, 2012 Fair Value Hedging Old Rate Agreement Interest Rate Contracts	Apr. 18, 2012 Fair Value Hedging Old Rate Agreement Interest Rate Contracts Senior Notes	Apr. 17, 2012 Fair Value Hedging Old Rate Agreement Interest Rate Contracts Senior Notes Old Senior Secured Notes	Dec. 31, 2010 Fair Value Hedging Old Rate Agreement Interest Rate Contracts Senior Notes Old Senior Secured Notes	Dec. 31, 2012 Fair Value Hedging New Rate Agreement [Member] Interest Rate Contracts Senior Notes	Dec. 31, 2012 Fair Value Hedging New Rate Agreement [Member] Interest Rate Contracts Senior Notes New Senior Secured Notes	Dec. 31, 2012 Fair Value Hedging New Rate Agreement [Member] Interest Rate Contracts Prior to May 15, 2015 Senior Notes	Jun. 30, 2012 Fair Value Hedging Interest Expense Old Rate Agreement Interest Rate Contracts	Dec. 31, 2012 Designated as Hedging Instrument Fair Value Hedging Interest Rate Contracts	Dec. 31, 2011 Designated as Hedging Instrument Fair Value Hedging Interest Rate Contracts	Dec. 31, 2010 Designated as Hedging Instrument Fair Value Hedging Interest Rate Contracts	Jun. 30, 2012 Designated as Hedging Instrument Fair Value Hedging Loss on Redemption of Debt Old Rate Agreement Interest Rate Contracts
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative, notional amount								$ 80,000,000	$ 100,000,000		$ 45,000,000
Derivative, variable interest rate							7.79%			5.57%
Interest rate	6.875%	[1]	10.00%	[1]
Proceeds from termination of hedge						3,600,000
Gain (loss) on carrying value adjustment on debt related to interest rate swap													$ 100,000	$ 3,635,000	$ (777,000)	$ (3,266,000)	$ 3,502,000
Minimum time period between redemptions					12 months
Portion of derivative callable by counterparty, %												10.00%
Call price of derivative, % of principal												103.00%

[1] See Interest Rate Agreements under “Senior Secured Notes” below and in note 13.