Gold-Silver & Co. v. United States

36 Cust. Ct. 7
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedJanuary 5, 1956
DocketC. D. 1746
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 36 Cust. Ct. 7 (Gold-Silver & 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
Gold-Silver & Co. v. United States, 36 Cust. Ct. 7 (cusc 1956).

Opinion

Wilson, Judge:

Certain merchandise described on the invoice as “Magic Electeic Bulbs” was classified by the collector under [8]*8paragraph 218 (f) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as modified by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, T. D. 51802, supplemented by T. D. 51898, as blown glass articles, and duty assessed thereon at the rate of 50 per centum ad valorem.

The plaintiff concedes that the collector was correct in classifying the merchandise under paragraph 218 as articles in chief value of blown glass, but asserts that the importation is properly classifiable under paragraph 218 (c) of the tariff act, as modified, supra, as “Illuminating articles * * *, wholly or in chief value of glass, for use in connection with artificial illumination.”

Paragraph 218 (f) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as modified by T. D. 51802 and the President’s proclamation, T. D. 51898, insofar as pertinent to our present inquiry, reads as follows:

Table and kitchen articles and utensils, and all articles of every description not specially provided for, composed wholly or in chief value of glass, blown or partly blown in the mold or otherwise * * *:

* H* * Hi * * *
Other_ 50 cents on each article or utensil, but not less than 30% nor more than 50% ad val.

And subdivision (c) of the same paragraph, as modified, reads as follows:

Illuminating articles of every description, finished or unfinished, wholly or in chief value of glass, for use in connection with artificial illumination:
^ ‡ Hí # ‡ #
Other (not including chimneys)_ 30% ad val.

The facts in this case are not in dispute. The merchandise in question consists of certain items, known as “Hooduni” lamps, a sample of which is in evidence as plaintiff’s exhibit 1. An examination of the exhibit shows it to be composed of a glass bulb, having the appearance of an ordinary incandescent lamp globe. However, the “Hooduni” bulb is without filaments and completely hollow. Into this vacant bulb is inserted a tube, to one end of which is attached a very small light globe, similar to the bulbs used in ordinary flashlights. Into the vacant tube, a small battery is inserted. The metal base of exhibit 1, resembling the part of an incandescent lamp which is threaded into a socket to make contact with the electric current, is detachable as a cap. However, when the metal base is pushed tight up against the glass bulb, it forces the battery to make contact with the small flashlight, which thereupon glows. The purpose of the “Hooduni” lamp is for use “by magicians to fool people into [9]*9thinking that they [the magicians] have sufficient electricity in their bodies to illuminate a light bulb.” (Plaintiff’s brief, page 3.)

Since the plaintiff has conceded the correctness of the classification insofar as the involved merchandise consists of “articles * * * in chief value of glass,” the issue is narrowed to the inquiry as to whether or not the “Hooduni” lamps in question are illuminating articles, for use in connection with artificial illumination.

In support of its claim, the plaintiff cites the case of United States v. Wyle & Bros., 14 Ct. Cust. Appls. 297, 300, T. D. 41910, in which our appellate court said:

In the case at bar, we think all of the exhibits are used in connection with artificial illumination, and that they do affect the light; to what extent or with what effect, is immaterial.

and the case of Solomon & Son v. United States, 13 Ct. Cust. Appls. 353, T. D. 41256.

In the case of Wyle & Bros., supra, certain merchandise, described in the record as “bobeches,” “leaves,” and “bunches of grapes,” was classified for duty by the collector under that portion of paragraph 218 of the Tariff Act of 1922 providing for “* * * illuminating articles of every description, including chimneys, globes, shades, and prisms, for use in connection with artificial illumination, all of the foregoing, finished or unfinished, composed wholly or in chief value of glass or paste, or a combination of glass and paste, 60 per centum ad valorem; * * *.” Plaintiff claimed the involved merchandise properly dutiable under said paragraph 218 of the act in question at the rate of 55 per centum ad valorem as articles of glass or paste.

The trial court in the Wyle & Bros. case, supra, 49 Treas. Dec. 563, T. D. 41469, upheld the importer’s protest and found that the involved merchandise was not composed of articles used for artificial illumination.

In reversing the decision of the trial court, the appellate court in United States v. Wyle & Bros., 14 Ct. Cust. Appls. 297, 299, T. D. 41910, cited the case of Solomon v. United States, 13 Ct. Cust. Appls. 353, T. D. 41256, and quoted the following language from the Solomon case as controlling:

Congress lias provided in paragraph 218, supra, for “illuminating articles of every description, including chimneys, globes, shades, and prisms for use in connection with artificial illumination. (Italics ours.) It is within the knowledge of every observing person that the most elaborate arrangements of various kinds and colors of glass are used in artificial illumination. Chimneys, globes, and shades of various designs, shapes, and colors are used, often in connection with prisms, for artistic and beautiful lighting effects — not for the sole purpose of artificial illumination, but also for artistic and ornamental illumination. To secure the many desired effects, rays of light may be reflected, refracted, or dispersed. It seems unnecessary to discuss this proposition to any great length. [10]*10It is perfectly obvious from the language of the provisions that it was intended by Congress to include within the scope of the paragraph all illuminating articles used in connection with artificial illumination whether decorative or merely practical. The articles mentioned in the paragraph are not such as generate light; they but disperse the rays of light to give the desired illuminating effect. Therefore they are for use in connection with artificial illumination.
* * * # * *
We do not believe that the character, degree, or extent of illumination furnished by an article is a proper test under the statute, if it is chiefly used in connection with artificial illumination and in such manner as to pass, reflect, refract, disperse, color, or otherwise affect the light for either practical or ornamental illuminating purposes.

The test set forth in the Solomon case, supra, page 357, is not whether the items in question generate light but whether they “disperse the rays of light to give the desired illuminating effect.” It also appears definite from the Solomon case, supra, that “the character, degree, or extent of illumination furnished by an article” is not the proper test under the statute, if the product involved is “chiefly used in connection with artificial illumination and in such manner as to pass, reflect, refract, disperse, color, or otherwise affect the light for either practical or ornamental illuminating purposes.”

In the case of United States v. General Display Case Co., Inc., 21 C. C. P. A. (Customs) 542, T. D.

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