Greenberg v. United States

28 C.C.P.A. 138, 1940 CCPA LEXIS 182
CourtCourt of Customs and Patent Appeals
DecidedJune 24, 1940
DocketNo. 4249
StatusPublished

This text of 28 C.C.P.A. 138 (Greenberg v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Customs and Patent Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Greenberg v. United States, 28 C.C.P.A. 138, 1940 CCPA LEXIS 182 (ccpa 1940).

Opinion

Hatfield, Judge,

delivered the opinion of the court:

[139]*139This is an appeal'from a judgment of the United States Customs Court, First Division, holding certain so-called “inlays,” each of which comprises a small cylindrical hollow piece of metal closed at one end to which end is attached a wheel, a wick, and a piece of flint, dutiable as parts of “cigar lighters,” designed to be worn on apparel or carried on or about the person, at 1 cent each and 50 per centum ad valorem under paragraph 1527 (c) (2) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as assessed by the collector at the-port of New York, rather than as parts of smokers' articles at 60 per centum ad valorem under paragraph 1552, or, alternatively, as articles, not specially provided for, at 45 per centum ad valorem under paragraph 397 of that act, as claimed by the importers — appellants.

The paragraphs in question, so far as pertinent, read:

Par. 1527. * * *
(c) 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 * * * cigar lighters * * * and like articles; * * * and parts thereof finished or unfinished:
if! ‡ if! * ' ‡ jfi %
(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), * * * 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.
Par. 1552. * * * and all smokers’ articles whatsoever, and parts thereof, finished or unfinished, not specially provided for, of whatever material composed, except china, porcelain, parían, bisque, earthenware, or stoneware, 60 per centum ad valorem * * *.
Par. 397. .Articles or wares not specially provided for, * * * if composed wholly dr in chief value- of iron * * * or other metal, but not plated with platinum, gold, or silver, or colored with gold lacquer, whether partly or wholly manufactured, 45 per centum ad valorem.

The articles in question are composed in chief value of base metal, and are not plated with platinum, gold, or silver, or colored with gold lacquer, and each is approximately IK inches in length and % of an inch in diameter.

On the trial below, counsel for appellants introduced in evidence exhibits 1 and 2, which are representative of the involved merchandise, and Illustrative Exhibits A and B.

Exhibits 1 and 2 have been hereinbefore described.

Illustrative Exhibits A and B are large celluloid articles, dice-like in appearance, each having a hole bored therein and an article like those here involved inserted in the hole.

On the trial below, two witnesses were called by appellants — Henry Waegelein, import manager of appellants, and Lewis Berk, production manager of appellants.

The testimony of the witness Waegelein will be better understood if the testimony of the witness Berk is reviewed first.

[140]*140The witness Berk testified that appellants were engaged in the manufacture of “Various types of merchandise connected with the manufacture of catalin cutlery, which is also used in connection with the handles made of catalin the same type of merchandise that they use-on the lighter” [italics ours]; that the only so-called “table lighters”' or “ornaments” he had ever made (and it will be recalled that he is production manager of appellants) were similar to illustrative exhibits A and B, hereinbefore described; that he had been manufacturing such articles for a long period of time; that he did not know whether the involved “inlays” were used in the manufacture of pocket cigar lighters, because he had never used them in that way; and that the involved articles were imported by appellants for use with so-called “desk lighters” or “ornaments” like Illustrative Exhibits A and B. In answer to the following question by Presiding Judge McClelland: “The imitation dice, illustrative exhibits A and B, what are they used for, apart from exhibits 1 and 2, containing alcohol?” the witness replied: “The alcohol is inserted in the hole here in this, so that it will supply gas for lighting. It is used for a paper weight or a table ornament.” [Italics not quoted.]

The witness Waegelein testified that he was familiar with the involved articles, owing to the fact that his company had imported them and he had seen them “worked on and so on.” When asked if he knew how the involved articles were used, he stated that he had seen them used. Then, although it appears from the testimony of appellants’ production manager Berk, as hereinbefore related, that, so far as he was informed, appellants have never used articles like those here involved except in celluloid dice-like desk lighters or ornaments, of which Illustrative Exhibits A and B are representative, the witness Waegelein, when asked to state how the involved articles are used, said: “They have been in various items as ‘inlays’ manufactured in the United States. In one particular-instance it comes readily to mind that it has been used in a dice lighter. A hole has been bored in a celluloid dice of approximately two inches square, this inlay lighter inserted in there and made into a desk paper weight lighter, used on a desk in the home or anywhere.” [Italics not quoted.]

On cross-examination, the witness Waegelein testified as follows:

X Q. Will you tell us for what other purposes these articles are used, other than with the dice? — A. Various other types of lighters that have been made, of balcelite or anything else. Some of them have been table lighters and others I would say were small enough to be used in the pocket or on the table; but the general use of the lighter has been for things of larger size.
* ***** *
X Q. What is the ultimate use of these articles?
Judge Sullivan: As imported. — A. As a desk lighter.
[141]*141Presiding Judge McClelland: As they came in in the imported condition, -what do you say as to whether they are designed to be carried on or about the person?
The Witness: They are not in a finished state to determine as to whether they could be carried on or about the person. It is necessary to insert them in some kind of article, which might he carried on or about the 'person or can he used as a desk lighter.
% sjí ¡fc ‡ ijí ‡ *
It. X Q. You say that some of these articles in the condition as imported are placed into other articles that are carried on or about the person; is that right?— A. All of these items are placed in things that might he carried on or about the person, or placed on a desk. They must be further manufactured to be of use.
R. X Q. Do you know of your own knowledge that these articles are designed to be used as parts of articles to be carried on or about the person? — A. I believe there is no specific use for them in the manufacture of the imported item.
It. X Q.

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Bluebook (online)
28 C.C.P.A. 138, 1940 CCPA LEXIS 182, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/greenberg-v-united-states-ccpa-1940.