The Cataract-Sharpe Mfg. Co. (later renamed Sharpe Inc.) of Buffalo, NY was originally founded by Alfred H. Sharpe in 1914.  Until 1920, the firm was known as Cataract Glass Company. Cataract-Sharpe cut many intricate, deep-cut crystal patterns. Many of the designs were ornately done and brilliantly polished.   In the 30’s and 40’s, the company widely promoted its Rock Sharpe Crystal and had some of the best-selling stemware in America during that period.  The Cataract-Sharpe Company had extensive equipment for decorating and highly skilled cutters who employed advanced cutting and polishing methods, however, they did not make any glass.  Libbey Glass and Bryce Brothers of Mt. Pleasant, PA, were both furnishing hand-made stemware blanks to Sharpe in the mid-1930’s.  Since they marketed stemware only under the Sharpe brand name, none of the blanks were identified as coming from Libbey.  When WWII started, Cataract-Sharpe had to stop its use of leaded glass.  Shortly after the war ended, in 1947, in a bid to further enhance Libbey’s glass decorating capabilities, Owens-Illinois acquired the Cataract-Sharpe Manufacturing Company and changed its name to Sharpe, Inc.  Once this happened, Libbey was able to market under the Libbey name all the Sharpe designs.  Sharpe moved to Toledo, Ohio in the early 1950’s.  In the late 40’s and 50’s, Sharpe, Inc. continued to produce patterns that had previously been made at Cataract-Sharpe.