Hudson Shipping Co. v. United States

37 Cust. Ct. 187
United States Customs Court·Decided November 15, 1956·No. C. D. 1821·Published·Cited by 3 cases

Opinion

Wilson, Judge:

The merchandise in the case at bar, invoiced as “carved wood sconces with mirror” and as “carved wood sconces w/oval mirrors,” was classified for duty under paragraph 230 (b) of the Tariff Act of 1930 at the rate of 50 per centum ad valorem as mirrors. Plaintiff claims these articles are properly classifiable under paragraph 412 of the said act, as amended by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, T. D. 51802, at the rate of 16% per centum ad valorem as manufactures in chief value of wood.

The pertinent parts of the paragraphs under the tariff act here in question are as follows:

Paragraph 230 (b) of the Tariff Act of 1930:

Glass mirrors * * * not specially provided for, not exceeding in size one hundred and forty-four square inches, with or without frames or cases, 50 per centum ad valorem.

Paragraph 412 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, T. D. 51802:

Manufactures of wood or bark, or of which wood or bark is the component material of chief value, not specially provided for:
H< Hi Hi * Hs *
Picture and mirror frames; * * *16%% ad val.

It was stipulated by counsel for the respective parties that the articles in question are in chief value of wood (R. 2). A photograph illustrating the sconces in question, which was identified as a correct representation of the imported articles, was received in evidence as plaintiff’s illustrative exhibit 1 (R. 5). The illustration apparently represents two highly decorated, carved, wooden articles, with a glass insert in the center, each item represented as being 38 inches in length. The item here in question is described as “Three-Candle Sconce, Hand-Carved and Gilded, With Mirror Inset.”

Plaintiff’s sole witness was the president of Interior’s Import Co., Inc., the ultimate consignee of the merchandise, which firm was engaged in the importation of wall fixtures, which it sold at wholesale throughout the country. He testified that he had designed the particular sconce here in question (item W-132) and that the involved merchandise was manufactured in Italy under his supervision in a factory owned by his company. He stated that the items in question are sold usually in pairs to department stores and decorators, generally to be placed on either side of a mantelpiece; that he had seen them used in such fashion in stores and homes; that these sconces are wired for use with small electric bulbs, or sometimes -are used with candles, when less light is required; that, when in use, these sconces are placed about 7 feet high for equal distribution of light throughout the room (R. 8-9).

[189]*189Plaintiff’s witness further testified that the glass insert, as indicated in plaintiff’s illustrative exhibit 1, was purely for decorative purposes and that such glass mirror measures, at the most, 4 by 6 inches. He explained the reason for the insertion of the glass piece as follows:

A. Since it is rather an elegant piece reminiscent of the Adams style, English Eighth Century style, I thought a little bit of shimmer, a bit of mirror would give it a little shimmer, give the item a little bit more elegance. (R. 11-12.)

Describing the makeup of these sconces, other than the glass insert, the witness stated that the balance of the sconce is comprised of wood and wrought iron; that the wood is glued or screwed to the wrought-iron frame, which also supports the two arms for the candles or electric bulbs to be installed, the top of the sconce (plaintiff’s illustrative exhibit 1) being marble. He further stated that all of the wood, including the frame around the mirror, the arrowhead, and the sockets for the candles, is hand-carved and decorated with gold leaf, which latter process involves special finishing, also by hand (R. 12).

Plaintiff’s witness further testified that the mirror insert in these sconces is made of cheap scrap glass, which gives wavy reflections, and, thus, is poor in reflective qualities; that the mirror is not used as is good looking glass, but merely to give the sconce the effect of being older than it is, so as to lend the appearance of an imitation antique. He stated that these sconces have to be placed high enough on the wall so as not to interfere with people walking about, inasmuch as the arms project 10 or 12 inches from the wall, and that they are always used above the average human’s height; further, that, in his experience, he had never seen anyone attempt to get a reflection from the mirror in the sconce (R. 18-21).

On cross-examination, plaintiff’s witness testified that his firm had imported sconces, without the mirror insert, but that they were not similar in design (R. 25). He stated that the glass inserts are just pieces of glass which reflect the light, but that they are not used as a “mirror,” although made of the same material from which glaziers make mirror frames. In the opinion of the witness, the glass insert is not a “mirror.” The witness, however, defined a mirror as “a piece of glass which is processed in various ways, they spray it with silver in the back and it reflects the image,” and stated that “that is what the insert in Plaintiff’s Exhibit #1 does” (R. 30-31). He testified, however, that the mirror insert is too small to give a proper reflection. The witness further testified that, when these sconces are wired with electric-light bulbs, the bulbs are only about three-quarters of an inch high, reflecting very little light, and that they are not of sufficient size to reach the mirror height.

The defendant’s only witness was the appraiser of the merchandise in question. He testified that the imported sconces had a “mirrored glass” in each, of fairly good quality, and that they would reflect [190]*190anything which would appear in the mirror; that, when he looked in the mirror, he could see his image and that there was no apparent distortion in the glass. The witness admitted, however, that, in examining the imported merchandise, he did not place a sconce (plaintiff’s illustrative exhibit 1) on the wall, about 6 feet high, and then look at himself in the mirror insert, but stated that it was his practice generally “to look into mirrors when classifying them.” He then stated that “the item was fairly expensive for sconces and I could not realize why the people put a mirror in it.” (R. 37.)

On cross-examination, defendant’s witness agreed that the mirror insert was a “small” mirror and that the entire item imported was about 38 inches in height. He further stated that he had seen articles, such as plaintiff’s illustrative exhibit 1, imported with larger mirrors, in various sizes.

The issue in the case at bar is whether the sconces here imported are dutiable under paragraph 230 (b) of the Tariff Act of 1930 as “glass mirrors,” as classified, or whether they are properly classifiable under paragraph 412 of the same act, as amended, as manufactures in chief value of wood: “Picture and mirror frames.”

Webster’s New International Dictionary, second edition, unabridged, at page 2241 defines a “sconce” as follows:

2. a A bracket candlestick or group of candlesticks projecting or banging from aplate or plaque, and usually forming an ornamental object, secured to a wall.

The criterion for classification of an article as a “mirror” has been previously set forth by this and our appellate court. In United States

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Hudson Shipping Co. v. United States, 37 Cust. Ct. 187 (cusc 1956).

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