Hanimex USA, Inc. v. United States

38 Cust. Ct. 521
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedMay 27, 1957
DocketNo. 60813; protests 265625-K and 272530-K (San Francisco)
StatusPublished

This text of 38 Cust. Ct. 521 (Hanimex USA, 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
Hanimex USA, Inc. v. United States, 38 Cust. Ct. 521 (cusc 1957).

Opinion

Wilson, Judge:

The merchandise here involved is invoiced as “Enlargers * * * Code Repo,” “enlargers cameras * * * Code Seino,” “enlargers Laborator * * * Code Latís,” “enlargers cameras Duemat * * * Code Ducos,” “Enlarger Cameras Uncmat * * * Code Uncos.” It was assessed with duty at 45 per centum ad valorem under paragraph 228 (b) of the Tariff Act of 1930 under the provision therein for “projection lenses * * * frames and mountings therefor, and parts of any of the foregoing.” Plaintiffs claim the importation in question properly dutiable at 15 per centum ad valorem under paragraph 1551 of the said act, as modified by the Torquay Protocol to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, T. D. 52739, supplemented by Presidential proclamation, T. D. 52820, as “photographic cameras.”

The basis for the classification of these articles, as disclosed by the “Report of Collector on Protest” with the official papers, was by virtue of T. D. 51815, which reads as follows:

* * * Photographic enlargers are dutiable at 45 per centum ad valorem under paragraph 228 (b) as projection lenses and frames and mountings therefor, and not as cameras at 20 per centum ad valorem under paragraph 1551 or at 45 per centum ad valorem by virtue of the proviso in paragraph 1551. * * *

Certain illustrations, representing the photo enlargers herein invoiced as “Repo,” “Seino,” “Latís,” “Ducos,” and Uncos,” were received in evidence as plaintiffs’ illustrative exhibits 1 to 5, respectively (R. 10).

Two witnesses were called on behalf of the plaintiffs. Alfred H. Bass, vice president of the importing concern, importer of photographic goods, stated that he had been selling items of the character here imported for about 22 to 23 years and that he had used such items for approximately 2 years.

Testifying as to the nature and operation of the imported goods, the witness stated that instruments, such as those in question, are used to obtain permanently recorded enlargements on sensitized paper of processed negatives. He explained that an essential part of such instruments is a lamp housing, from which a lamp projects a light through the negative onto the piece of sensitized paper which is placed on a so-called baseboard or table, which is part of the instrument itself. The negative is placed in a unit of the instrument, known as a “negative carrier,” [522]*522similar in function to a “plate holder,” which holds film in a camera. The witness further testified that, in projecting the image onto the paper, the lens mount is moved to vary the distance from the focal plane where the holder is, in order to obtain a sharp image on the paper, in the same manner as a camera is focused to obtain a sharp image on the film. After exposure, the sensitized paper is processed through a solution of developers, washers, and fixtures “just as we would do with ordinary film from a camera,” and that, when finally washed, “you have your permanent paper image such as you have in any photograph.” It also appears that these instruments are used for photocopy work wherein the negatives are reduced, rather than enlarged, in size.

The witness further stated that he had used cameras, such as a “press” camera, in the same manner as the imported articles, in order to obtain enlargements; that, for such use, all that need be done is to remove the ground glass at the back of the camera and put a light box therein as a source of light.

Mr. Bass then testified that he had seen articles, represented by plaintiffs’ illustrative exhibits 2, 3, 4, and 5, used in the manner of a camera for making copies of charts, photographs, or manuscripts. When so employed, the instrument is placed in a horizontal or vertical position with an unexposed negative; “A chart or a photograph or a manuscript is placed in the baseboard of this instrument and that image is recorded onto the unexposed film that is placed into the carrier of this instrument.” When so operating, the light-box switch of the instrument is turned off (R. 18). The witness explained that the “Repo” enlarger, as imported, could not be used for the dual purpose of enlargement and for making copies of charts, photographs, or manuscripts, as could the other types, but that, for the latter purpose, the “Repo” merely requires the insertion of a “carrier” or film holder to hold the unexposed film (R. 19).

With respect to the lenses for the imported instruments, Mr. Bass testified that the “Ducos” and “Unoos” articles (plaintiffs’ illustrative exhibits 4 and 5) were imported with lenses, “packed separately but in the same shipment” (R. 9), but that the lenses for the “Repo,” “Seino,” and “Latís” articles were imported separately, stating, however, that such lenses were designed to fit these particular machines.

The witness described a camera as an instrument by which you record an image permanently on a piece of sensitized paper or film, while a projector is an instrument used to project an image temporarily for viewing purposes, as in the case of a cinema. It appears that when the involved instruments are used as enlargers, the recording is done outside of the machines, but that when used by employing a film holder with a negative, the recording is done within the instrument (R. 23).

Jack Hannes, partner of the importer herein, who, for some 10 years, had been engaged in the importation and distribution of cameras, enlargers, and lenses, stated that the involved articles do not contain any projection lenses, explaining that a projection lens “is a fixed aperture lens” and that it was not possible to use such a lens in these machines. He described a camera as “a piece of optical apparatus for the purpose of recording an object permanently onto a sensitized photographic surface,” stating that the importations at bar were so employed. He defined a projector as a means for “viewing a transparent object” for a short time. In his opinion, a machine which enlarges a permanent picture “permanently” is a camera (R. 40).

In the determination of the issue herein, we deem it pertinent at this point to refer to certain decisions of this court and our appellate court as to the meaning of the term “photographic cameras.” In United States v. American Steel & Copper Plate Co., 14 Ct. Oust. Appls. 139, T. D. 41673, the appellate court, in holding certain photolithographic camera screens properly classifiable under predecessor [523]*523paragraph. 1453 of the Tariff Act of 1922 as parts of photographic cameras, and not under paragraph 218 of the said act as glass articles, page 140, stated:

These articles are used in making reproductions of photographs for printing purposes, either in newspaper or other publications, and in other photolitho-graphic and photo-engraving work. The testimony shows they are used in two ways, first, in conjunction with a photographic camera, and, second, in a printing frame. When used in a camera, the screen is inserted in a special holder and focusing arrangement therein by which the screen can be moved to its particular focus, according to the wish of the operator, this holder, and the screen carried by it, being between the camera lens and the sensitive plate upon which the photograph is to be taken. These screens can be used in conjunction with any photographic camera which has the special holder and focusing arrangement above referred to, but without such equipment can not be so used.

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Bluebook (online)
38 Cust. Ct. 521, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hanimex-usa-inc-v-united-states-cusc-1957.