Contingencies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Contingencies	Contingencies Legal Proceedings From time to time, we are identified as a "potentially responsible party" (PRP) under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) and/or similar state laws that impose liability without regard to fault for costs and damages relating to the investigation and clean-up of contamination resulting from releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances. We are also subject to similar laws in some of the countries where our facilities are located. Our environmental, health, and safety department monitors compliance with applicable laws on a global basis. On October 30, 2009, the United States Environmental Protection Agency ("U.S. EPA") designated Syracuse China Company ("Syracuse China"), our wholly-owned subsidiary, as one of eight PRPs with respect to the Lower Ley Creek sub-site of the Onondaga Lake Superfund site located near the ceramic dinnerware manufacturing facility that Syracuse China operated from 1995 to 2009 in Syracuse, New York. U.S. EPA has completed its Remedial Investigation (RI), Feasibility Study (FS), Risk Assessment (RA) and Proposed Remedial Action Plan (PRAP). On October 13, 2014, Libbey was informed that EPA issued its Record of Decision (RoD) on September 30, 2014. The RoD indicates that EPA's estimate of the cost of remediation ranges between approximately $17.0 million (assuming local disposal of contaminated sediments is feasible) and approximately $24.8 million (assuming local disposal is not feasible). However, the RoD acknowledges that the final cost of the cleanup will depend upon the actual volume of contaminated material, the degree to which it is contaminated, and where the excavated soil and sediment is properly disposed. In connection with the General Motors Corporation bankruptcy, EPA recovered $22.0 million from Motors Liquidation Company (GM), the successor to General Motors Corporation. If the cleanup costs do not exceed the amount recovered by EPA from GM, Syracuse China may suffer no loss. If and to the extent the cleanup costs exceed the amount recovered by EPA from GM, it is not yet known whether other potentially responsible parties (PRPs) will be added to the current group of PRPs or how any excess costs may be allocated among the PRPs. To the extent that Syracuse China may have liability with respect to the Lower Ley Creek sub-site and to the extent the liability arose prior to our 1995 acquisition of the Syracuse China assets, the liability would be subject to the indemnification provisions contained in the Asset Purchase Agreement between the Company and The Pfaltzgraff Co. (now known as TPC-York, Inc. ("TPC York")) and certain of its subsidiaries. Accordingly, Syracuse China has notified TPC York of its claim for indemnification under the Asset Purchase Agreement. Although we cannot predict the ultimate outcome of this proceeding, we believe that it will not have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. Insurance claim In September of 2013, Libbey had a furnace malfunction at our manufacturing facility in Toledo, Ohio, resulting in an insurance claim. At December 31, 2013, partial insurance proceeds of $5.0 million were recognized in accounts receivable on the open claim. Cash was received in the first quarter of 2014, with $4.3 million recorded as an investing activity and $0.7 million recorded as cash from operations on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. On October 13, 2014, we received notification from the insurance company of the final settlement of our insurance claim. See note 15 for further discussion of this subsequent event. Abandoned Property Audit We have completed an unclaimed property audit. The property subject to review in this audit process generally included unclaimed wages, vendor payments and customer refunds. State escheat laws generally require entities to report and remit abandoned and unclaimed property. Failure to timely report and remit the property can result in assessments that include interest and penalties, in addition to the payment of the escheat liability itself. At the completion of the audit in the three months ended June 30, 2013, we paid $4.5 million, which resulted in additional expense of $1.8 million in selling, general and administrative expenses on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations. Expense of $2.7 million was recorded in the third quarter of 2011.

Contingencies

Legal Proceedings

From time to time, we are identified as a "potentially responsible party" (PRP) under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) and/or similar state laws that impose liability without regard to fault for costs and damages relating to the investigation and clean-up of contamination resulting from releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances. We are also subject to similar laws in some of the countries where our facilities are located. Our environmental, health, and safety department monitors compliance with applicable laws on a global basis.

On October 30, 2009, the United States Environmental Protection Agency ("U.S. EPA") designated Syracuse China Company ("Syracuse China"), our wholly-owned subsidiary, as one of eight PRPs with respect to the Lower Ley Creek sub-site of the Onondaga Lake Superfund site located near the ceramic dinnerware manufacturing facility that Syracuse China operated from 1995 to 2009 in Syracuse, New York.

U.S. EPA has completed its Remedial Investigation (RI), Feasibility Study (FS), Risk Assessment (RA) and Proposed Remedial Action Plan (PRAP). On October 13, 2014, Libbey was informed that EPA issued its Record of Decision (RoD) on September 30, 2014. The RoD indicates that EPA's estimate of the cost of remediation ranges between approximately $17.0 million (assuming local disposal of contaminated sediments is feasible) and approximately $24.8 million (assuming local disposal is not feasible). However, the RoD acknowledges that the final cost of the cleanup will depend upon the actual volume of contaminated material, the degree to which it is contaminated, and where the excavated soil and sediment is properly disposed. In connection with the General Motors Corporation bankruptcy, EPA recovered $22.0 million from Motors Liquidation Company (GM), the successor to General Motors Corporation. If the cleanup costs do not exceed the amount recovered by EPA from GM, Syracuse China may suffer no loss. If and to the extent the cleanup costs exceed the amount recovered by EPA from GM, it is not yet known whether other potentially responsible parties (PRPs) will be added to the current group of PRPs or how any excess costs may be allocated among the PRPs.

To the extent that Syracuse China may have liability with respect to the Lower Ley Creek sub-site and to the extent the liability arose prior to our 1995 acquisition of the Syracuse China assets, the liability would be subject to the indemnification provisions contained in the Asset Purchase Agreement between the Company and The Pfaltzgraff Co. (now known as TPC-York, Inc. ("TPC York")) and certain of its subsidiaries. Accordingly, Syracuse China has notified TPC York of its claim for indemnification under the Asset Purchase Agreement. Although we cannot predict the ultimate outcome of this proceeding, we believe that it will not have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

Insurance claim

In September of 2013, Libbey had a furnace malfunction at our manufacturing facility in Toledo, Ohio, resulting in an insurance claim. At December 31, 2013, partial insurance proceeds of $5.0 million were recognized in accounts receivable on the open claim. Cash was received in the first quarter of 2014, with $4.3 million recorded as an investing activity and $0.7 million recorded as cash from operations on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. On October 13, 2014, we received notification from the insurance company of the final settlement of our insurance claim. See note 15 for further discussion of this subsequent event.

Abandoned Property Audit

We have completed an unclaimed property audit. The property subject to review in this audit process generally included unclaimed wages, vendor payments and customer refunds. State escheat laws generally require entities to report and remit abandoned and unclaimed property. Failure to timely report and remit the property can result in assessments that include interest and penalties, in addition to the payment of the escheat liability itself. At the completion of the audit in the three months ended June 30, 2013, we paid $4.5 million, which resulted in additional expense of $1.8 million in selling, general and administrative expenses on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations. Expense of $2.7 million was recorded in the third quarter of 2011.