the rarity of this charge card and the importance to the tiki restaurant craze is difficult to put into words. issued near the peak of the tiki phenomena,
tiki credit cards are mega rare, to have one owned by a future president of don the beachcomber is unusually rare. this one is on coated stock cardboard/paper as most credit and charge cards were prior to 1961.
i have collected credit cards for quite a few decades and i have never seen a don the beachcomber charge card
i have also collected tiki related stuff for quite a few years and have never seen a don the beachcomber credit card
raymond fine was an entreprenuer, movie actor, and at one time president of don the beachcomber.
a bit of a renaissance man.
from my research, raymond fine, founded the sportsmens lodge w dave harlig and also from what i read ray took over the don the beachcomber chain in 1961 and continued its expansion internationally. in 1967 he was listed in a newspaper article as managing the chain. not sure how long he was affiliated with don the beachcomber or his ownership percentage.
ray created the rum lift, drink, in about 1968 as a hangover cure.
here is some info i found out about a group he belonged to : "los ranchero visitadores" (the visiting ranchers), the tradition began in 1930 and continued at least through the 1970s, with a re-enactment of the the old west california cattle drives to the mission in santa barbara. past participants include bob hope, ronald reagan, walt disney, max fleischmann, clark gable, ray fine, etc. the end of the drive was met with fesivals, rodeos, and visits to ranches.
Los Rancheros Visitadores is an invitation only western riding group, considered the most elite equestrian organization in the world. The group was founded in the late around 1930 and boasts membership from artists to governors to celebrities. Ed Borein, Will James, Joe DeYong, Walt Disney, Gary Cooper, Montie Montana, Nicholas Firfires, Edward H Bohlin, Philip Wrigley, Leo Carrillo, Charlie Russell, Chuck Yeager, Ray Fine, Max Baer and Ronald Reagan were only some of the notables who have ridden the trails with the Rancheros Visitadores.
The very first ride in 1930 was inspired by the early California “Mission Days” tradition when Rancheros from the neighboring countryside would gather in the spring time at the nearest Mission with their cattle herds -- then advance towards the next Mission working the cattle as they went. When these “Californios” reached the next Mission they would be met by another group from the countryside and the original group would then return home. This return was a festive journey and tendance with traditional California hospitality, they were entertained lavishly on their homeward trek since the hard work was done, cattle delivered and money now in hand.
Los Rancheros Visitadores was the brainchild of a small group of prominent Santa Barbarans who were horse lovers and wished to commemorate the important role horsemanship and ranching had played in the history of the South Coast. The generally accepted story concerning the founding is that in the spring of 1929, cowboy artist Ed Borein suggested to his friend Elmer Awl that they gather some buddies together for a few days of riding and camping in the Santa Ynez Valley.
(i have his los rancheros visitadores member card - not for sale at this time, so i can confirm his membership in the club)
