Brentwood Originals v. United States

58 Cust. Ct. 575, 1967 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 2566
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedJanuary 31, 1967
DocketR.D. 11258; Entry No. 110494, etc.
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 58 Cust. Ct. 575 (Brentwood Originals 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
Brentwood Originals v. United States, 58 Cust. Ct. 575, 1967 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 2566 (cusc 1967).

Opinion

Wilson, Judge:

These three appeals for reappraisement were consolidated for purposes of trial.

The imported merchandise is invoiced as either cotton corduroy cushion covers, cotton-rayon upholstery, rayon Bemberg upholstery, cotton velveteen upholstery, or cotton-rayon floor cushions. Exportation from Japan was made on or about May 21, 1964, September 20, 1962, and November 26, 1962, respectively, in ¿64/18080, R63/4399, and B63/9037. The “maker” and seller of the merchandise is shown on the invoices received in evidence without being marked as Hirota Hoko, K.K., Osaka, Japan, and the shipper as Nichimen Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan. A total of 19 items of the above articles is involved hi the three appeals. Each item is separately invoiced at a specific price per dozen, said to be the “ex-factory” price. The total price thereof is also shown as well as “Export Charges” itemized and added thereto, the overall total allegedly representing the f .o.b. Japan price.

The merchandise was “Appraised at unit values shown in red ink, net, packed,” or words to a similar effect. Thus, each of the 19 units of merchandise was separately and specifically appraised at a per se unit value per dozen, net, packed, which unit appraised value differed for each of the said 19 items and was higher in each instance than the unit invoiced at the alleged “ex-factory” price.

[577]*577The appraisements were made on the basis of export value as defined in section 402(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended by the Customs Simplification Act of 1956, 91 Treas. Dec. 295, T.D. 54165. Counsel stipulated that the above basis for appraisement was correct and that the imported articles are not specified on the final list promulgated by the Secretary of the Treasury, 93 Treas. Dec. 14, T.D. 54521.

The statute under consideration, so far as pertinent herein, reads as follows:

Section 402 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended by the Customs Simplification Act of 1956, sufra:

(b) ExroRT Value. — For the purposes of this section, the export value of imported merchandise shall be the price, at the time of exportation to the United States of the merchandise undergoing ap-praisement, at which such or similar merchandise is freely sold or, in the absence of sales, offered for sale in the principal markets of the country of exportation, in the usual wholesale quantities and in the ordinary course of trade, for exportation to the United States, plus, when not included in such price, the cost of all containers and coverings of whatever nature and all other expenses incidental to placing the merchandise in condition, packed ready for shipment to the United States.
(f) DEFINITIONS. — For the purposes of this section—
(1) The term “freely sold or, in the absence of sales, offered for sale” means sold or, in the absence of sales, offered — ■
(A) to all purchasers at wholesale, or
(B) in the ordinary course of trade to one or more selected purchasers at wholesale at a price which fairly reflects the market value of the merchandise,
without restrictions * * *.

The plaintiffs called two witnesses and offered in evidence one document, exhibit 1. Defendant introduced no evidence.

Harold Alden testified that he was vice president of plaintiff company ; that this firm was in the business of importing decorative pillows and bedspreads from Japan; that he designs styles and materials and purchases the commodities needed from Japan; that he travels to Japan two to four times annually and stays between 3 weeks to 3 to 4 months. While in Japan he works with the various weaving mills and the factory of Hirota Hoko, K.K., in making decorative pillows. He testified further that the Nichimen company of Japan is his firm’s “agent” and that their function was to accompany the witness at the time of negotiations with the mills and the factory “because the mills themselves would not negotiate with me directly,” that being the practice in Japan, and that “they only deal with franchised firms for the mill.” He negotiated for the piece goods from the mill “but Nichimen actually purchased the piece goods for me” using their [578]*578money for that purpose, but it was guaranteed by a prior letter of credit of the witness which he “had to open to the trading company, to guaranty the purchase.” Alden identified a document which bears his name as an agreement between his firm and Nichimen. It was received over defendant’s objection as plaintiffs’ exhibit 1. He began importing in 1958 or 1959 and his method of doing business never changed with any of the people involved at the factory. (R. 3-10.)

On cross-examination Alden stated that all of the involved merchandise was made specially for his company (R. 14).

Plaintiffs’ second witness, Tohru Kanaoka, testified that he was a salesman of textile goods for Nichimen Company, Inc., of Los Angeles over 4 years and was employed by Nichimen Co., Ltd., of J apan for 11 years prior thereto. There he was in the “made up Textile Department” and exported textiles to foreign countries. He stated that “Nichimen is importing and exporting firm, and Nichimen sell and buy merchandise, sometimes act as selling agent and buying agent; sometimes we transact technical know-how.” (R.16.) He first met Mr. Alden when he came to Japan in 1957 or 1958 and stated he is familiar with Brentwood’s “operation or formula by which” they import merchandise and with Nichimen’s responsibilities in reference thereto since 1958 or 1959. He stated that Alden approached his firm and told them what he wanted (R. 16-17). He stated that Alden looks for a fabric and if found—

* * * we go together with him to the mill and we negotiate, and price, and deliver. Then we negotiate with sewing factory for making up pillow. Everything has been done. Then Nichimen will make a shipping document against that, against Nichimen’s office. We get commission from them. [R. 17.]

He also testified that there was an export quota on “cotton pieces, made up textile goods”; that Nichimen never purchased piece goods or pillows or finished articles for Nichimen’s own use that are made for Brentwood (R. 17-18).

Under cross-examination Kanaoka testified that Hirota Hoko was a separate company (factory) from Nichimen, and was a sewing company that Nichimen used. He had no firsthand knowledge as to stock ownership; that the material Brentwood uses is not suitable for domestic use and is different; that Nichimen did not buy such merchandise for its own use; that all of the merchandise “was specially made forthis importer.” (R. 19-20.)

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Bluebook (online)
58 Cust. Ct. 575, 1967 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 2566, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brentwood-originals-v-united-states-cusc-1967.