Alltransport, Inc. v. United States

37 Cust. Ct. 26
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedJuly 26, 1956
DocketC. D. 1794
StatusPublished

This text of 37 Cust. Ct. 26 (Alltransport, Inc. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Customs Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Alltransport, Inc. v. United States, 37 Cust. Ct. 26 (cusc 1956).

Opinion

Oliveh, Chief Judge:

Articles valued above 20 cents per dozen pieces, designed to be worn on apparel or carried on or about or attached to the person, such as and including buckles, cardeases, chains, cigar cases, cigar cutters, cigar holders, cigar lighters, cigarette cases, cigarette holders, coin holders, collar, cuff, and dress buttons, combs, match boxes, mesh bags and purses, millinery, military and hair ornaments, pins, powder cases, stamp cases, vanity cases, watch bracelets, and like articles; all the foregoing and parts thereof, finished or unfinished:
sfi * * % * * *
(2) composed wholly or in chief value of metal other than gold or platinum (whether or not enameled, washed, covered, or plated, including rolled gold plate), or (if not composed in chief value of metal and if not dutiable under clause (1) of this subparagraph) set with and in chief value of precious or semiprecious stones, pearls, cameos, coral, amber, imitation precious or semiprecious stones, or imitation pearls, 1 cent each and in addition thereto three-fifths of 1 cent per dozen for each 1 cent the value exceeds 20 cents per dozen, and 50 per centum ad valorem. [Italics added.]

[28]*28Plaintiff claims that the brass pins in question are parts of jewelry. Paragraph 1527 (a) (1) and (2), as modified by T. D. 51802, supplemented by T. D. 51939, provides for parts of jewelry as follows:

Plaintiff contends that the merchandise in question would be dutiable under the foregoing amended paragraph 1527 (a) (1) and (2) as parts of jewelry, but for the fact that the brass pins involved herein are, by agreement of the parties, valued at under 20 cents per dozen pieces. Plaintiff, therefore, seeks classification of the brass pins under the residuary provision in paragraph 397 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as modified by T. D. 51802, for articles, composed wholly or in chief value of base metal, not plated with platinum, gold, or silver, or colored with gold lacquer, carrying a dutiable rate of 22% per centum ad valorem.

At the trial, counsel for the respective parties stipulated that the merchandise under consideration (plaintiff’s exhibit 1) is part of a stud and that, as such, it is exclusively used in the manufacture of stud backs (plaintiff’s exhibit 2). It was further agreed between the parties that the finished studs (plaintiff’s exhibit 3) are “either in chief value of metal, other than gold, silver, or platinum, and if not in chief value of metal, then set with and in chief value of imitation [29]*29precious or semiprecious stones,” (R. 5) and are valued at over 20 cents per dozen pieces and not over $5 per dozen pieces.

By virtue of the stipulated facts, the principal question before us relates to the finished studs, of which the imported brass pins are admittedly integral parts. The stud in evidence (exhibit 3, supra) represents “one of the many samples of finished studs.” (R. 5.) It is the kind that is usually worn with men’s wear. The primary issue herein is whether the studs are articles, designed to be worn on apparel or carried on or about or attached to the person, as contemplated by paragraph 1527 (c) (2), supra, or whether they are jewelry, “commonly or commercially so known,” provided for in paragraph 1527 (a) (1) and (2), as modified, supra.

The oral testimony is directed toward a determination of that question. Each side introduced one witness.

Plaintiff’s witness was the president of the Tedley Corp., the importer of these brass pins, whose business is to “sell parts and metal stampings, made in accordance with orders we obtain in this country, made by the factories in Switzerland.” The witness admitted that he never sold studs, of which the imported items are parts. His testimony merely shows that he has observed such studs on display in jewelry departments of department stores, in men’s wear stores, in jewelry stores, and in women’s specialty stores. He stated that studs are “basically being sold in a set of 2 cuff links and 3 studs.”

Defendant’s witness testified that he has been in the button business for 14 years and that, throughout the period, he has bought and sold studs, of which the imported brass pins are parts. He identified a collection of items (defendant’s collective illustrative exhibit A) that are “described in the trade” as stud buttons. Each of these articles is substantially the same, including the brass pin, as the stud in evidence (exhibit 3, supra), which the witness characterized as “dress stud,” that is “used for men, for evening wear.” The only difference is in the heads of the studs; some are a novelty in character; others are ornamental. The witness testified that the studs “are sold in the department stores by us” and “on notion counters only.” He also referred to cnrtain so-called “shank buttons” (defendant’s collective illustrative exhibit B), but they are materially different from the studs or stud buttons in controversy. The shank buttons have no bearing on the issue in this case.

Both witnesses agreed with the definition of “stud,” read to them by Government counsel from Webster’s International Dictionary, as follows:

An ornamental button of various forms worn in a shirt front, collar, wrist band, or the like, not sewed in place, but inserted through a buttonhole or eyelet, and transferable.

[30]*30Somewhat the same definition appears in Funk & Wagnalls New Standard Dictionary as follows:

stud, n. * * * 2. * * * (1) An ornamental button worn in a shirt-front or cuff.

Defendant’s brief quotes from “The New Century Dictionary, volume two,” as follows:

stud, n. * * * also, a kind of small button or fastener, commonly of metal, bone, or the like and in the form of a small knob and a disk, connected by a stem, used (when passed through small buttonholes or the like) for holding together parts of dress (as shirts) * * *. [Italics supplied.]

“The law is well settled that the classification by the collector and his official acts are presumptively correct” (McKesson & Robbins, Inc. v. United States, 27 C. C. P. A. (Customs) 157, C. A. D. 77), and it is equally “well established that the collector is presumed to have found every fact to exist that was necessary to sustain his classification” (E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. v. United States, 27 C. C. P. A. (Customs) 146, C. A. D. 75). Under those principles, the presumption of correctness attaching to the collector’s classification includes a finding by the classifying officer that the imported brass pins are parts of studs or stud buttons that are designed to be worn on apparel or carried on or about or attached to the person.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Gallagher v. United States
6 Ct. Cust. 105 (Customs and Patent Appeals, 1915)
United States v. Horstmann Co.
14 Ct. Cust. 443 (Customs and Patent Appeals, 1927)
Gorman Anderson Corp. v. United States
34 Cust. Ct. 35 (U.S. Customs Court, 1955)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
37 Cust. Ct. 26, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/alltransport-inc-v-united-states-cusc-1956.