Berg Importing Co. v. United States

32 Cust. Ct. 210, 1954 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1707
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedMarch 31, 1954
DocketC. D. 1604
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 32 Cust. Ct. 210 (Berg Importing Co. 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
Berg Importing Co. v. United States, 32 Cust. Ct. 210, 1954 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1707 (cusc 1954).

Opinion

Rao, Judge:

The merchandise which is the subject of this controversy consists of certain ornamental wood carvings imported at the same time as, and in the same shipment with, movements and cases for cuckoo clocks. The collector of customs at the port of [211]*211entry looked upon each movement and case, and the particular set of wood carvings bearing the same invoice item number, as an entirety — a cuckoo clock in a knocked-down condition. Invoking the provision for clocks in paragraph 368 (a) of the Tariff Act of 1930, the collector assessed duty upon the entirety at the ad valorem rate of 65 per centum and the specific rate appropriate to the value of the unit, in accordance with subdivisions (1) and (2) of said paragraph 368 (a).

The collector's action with respect to movements and cases is not here directly in issue. It is the contention of plaintiffs that the wood carvings are separately dutiable at the rate of 16% per centum ad valorem, pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 412 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as modified by the Annecy Protocol of Terms of Accession to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, 84 Treas. Dec. 403, T. D. 52373, supplemented by Presidential proclamation, T*. D. 52476, as manufactures of wood. As a consequence of the alleged separability of the imported merchandise, it is further contended that the value of the carvings should be deducted from the value of the clocks (cases and movements), with the consequent effect of lower specific duties being applicable under said subdivision (1).

The pertinent tariff provisions are hereinbelow recited:

Pah. 368. (a) Clocks, clock movements, including lever movements, clockwork mechanisms, time-keeping, time-measuring, or time-indicating mechanisms, devices, and instruments, * * * all the above (except the articles enumerated or described in paragraph 367), whether or not in cases, containers, or housings:
(1) If valued at not more than $1.10 each, 65 cents each; valued at more than $1.10 but not more than $2.25 each, $1.00 each; valued at more than $2.25 but not more than $5 each, $1.50 each; valued at more than $5 but not more than $10 each, $3 each; valued at more than $10 each, $4.50 each;
(2) any of the foregoing shall be subject to an additional duty of 65 per centum ad valorem;
* * * sfc * * *
(e) Cases, containers, or housings suitable for any of the movements, mechanisms, devices, or instruments enumerated or described in this paragraph, not specially provided for, when imported separately, 45 per centum ad valorem. Any such case, container, or housing, whether imported separately or attached to any of the foregoing movements, mechanisms, devices, or instruments, shal have stamped, cut, engraved, or die sunk, conspicuously and indelibly on the back thereof, the name of the country of manufacture.

Paragraph 412 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as modified, supra:

Manufactures of wood or bark, or of which wood or bark is the component material of chief value, not specially provided for:
* * * * * * *
Other * * *_ 16%% ad val.

At the trial, plaintiffs called as their first witness, Howard E. Johnson, manager of the import department of James Loudon & Co., [212]*212Inc., the customhouse broker who made the entry of the instant merchandise. His testimony was, in effect, offered in lieu of that of Ernest Berg, active member of the Berg Importing Co., the ultimate consignee herein, who had died prior to the time of trial. Witness Johnson stated that he had on several occasions seen the imported merchandise at the home of Mr. Berg, which was also his warehouse, and that he had purchased one of the clocks. He saw Mr. Berg assemble a clock by attaching two weights to the chains which hung from the box or case. At that time, the movement was in the case; the dial was on its face; and all that was necessary was to attach the weights to the chains, and, with.the use of two screws, add the wood carvings. The clocks, as assembled, complete with carvings, are illustrated by various pictures contained in plaintiffs’ collective illustrative exhibit 1, which show the carvings to consist of deer, guns*, birds, hunting bags, trumpets or horns, and floral and foliage designs. Some, but not all of these decorations, adorn each of the illustrated clocks. An additional reproduction of one of these items is in evidence as defendant’s exhibit B.

This witness also stated that a box containing the movement could be used with any number or several different designs of the carvings; that there is nothing peculiar about the form of the design that confines its use to a particular box; that as soon as the weights are attached, the box plus the dial plus the hands and the chains constitute an article capable of keeping time; and that when he was at Mr. Berg’s warehouse, the boxes he saw were all of the same size, whereas the ornaments were of several different styles and sizes.

On cross-examination, Johnson testified that he did not see this merchandise in its original packing at the time of importation, and that aside from the invoices, he had no knowledge of the manner in which it was packed. He thought at first that he saw the merchandise several days after importation, but later realized that it was not until about 2 months thereafter. He personally remembered the entry in this case because the usual entry clerk employed by James Loudon & Co., Inc., was on vacation and he, himself, prepared the papers. Although there were two consular invoices, one for the movements and cases, the other for the carvings, he made a single entry for the entire importation, listing the wood carvings as manufactures of wood; the movements and cases as clocks. He subsequently made an application to the Bureau of Customs for leave to substitute two entries for the single one, but was advised that the proposed substituted entries would not avail to avoid classification of the merchandise as entireties (defendant’s exhibit A).

Bert B. Isaacs, who has been in the business of repairing and selling clocks, including cuckoo clocks, for 27 years, also testified for plaintiffs. He stated that the purpose of a cuckoo clock is to have a gong [213]*213and bird signal the half hour. Cuckoo clocks, according to this witness, come in various sizes, some in ordinary cases, others being more elaborate. The main case is a box, always of wood, which is designed to keep the movement clean. The movement is in the case, the dial on its face. Then, there is a gable. Different styles of trimming, some very ornate with heavy carving details of birds and hunting scenes, others relatively plain, both types as illustrated by plaintiff’s collective illustrative exhibit 1, are attached to the main case. In connection with cuckoo clocks which this witness had assembled, some required only the attachment of a top gable. Others had to have all of the ornaments or trimming added.

Isaacs stated further that cuckoo clocks vary according to the manufacturer and the size of the clocks. He would say that there are about a half dozen sizes of boxes, about 12 or 15 different patterns of ornaments, and that about 3 or 4 patterns could be used on any one box.

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Related

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
32 Cust. Ct. 210, 1954 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1707, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/berg-importing-co-v-united-states-cusc-1954.