The company was then relocated to Park Avenue in Chico where it remains to this very day. Orient & Flume’s stunning art glass creations quickly became popular and by 1973 the business had grown too large for the small carriage house. It was at this location that Douglas purchased a historic carriage house and transformed it into an art glass studio. Their first pieces were signed with a double B, indicating Boyd and Ballentine.

After returning from their travels they set up their first furnace in Boyd’s backyard, which lay between Orient Street and Flume Street hence the company title. Being a world traveler myself and having lived in Europe for eight years, off and on I can relate to what a wonderful adventure and learning experience it is. I suppose their travels are a highly kept secret entered in their diaries only as I have never read about any of their experiences. After getting their master’s degrees they traveled all over Europe learning and experiencing the old techniques in glass first hand. Both had studied with Robert Fritz at San José. The company of Orient & Flume was founded in 1972 at Chico, CA, by Douglas Boyd and David Ballentine Hopper.

Orient and flume paperweight