Ikora, Inc. v. United States

66 Cust. Ct. 262, 325 F. Supp. 905, 1971 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 2367
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedApril 20, 1971
DocketC.D. 4202
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 66 Cust. Ct. 262 (Ikora, 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
Ikora, Inc. v. United States, 66 Cust. Ct. 262, 325 F. Supp. 905, 1971 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 2367 (cusc 1971).

Opinion

Landis, Judge:

The merchandise of this protest consists of a “WMF-IKORA” metal silver tray and a glass bowl-shaped dish [263]*263made to fit into the shallow well of the tray, imported from Germany and invoiced as “butter dish”.

Customs at New York classified the metal tray and glass dish as separate dutiable articles. The silver tray was assessed at 17 per centum ad valorem under TSTJS item 653.80 as an article of base metal, coated or plated with precious metal, not specially provided for, of a type used for household, table or kitchen use. The glass dish was assessed at 50 per centum ad valorem under TSTJS item 546.51 as glassware, not valued over $1.00 each, chiefly used in the household or elsewhere for preparing, serving, or storing food or beverages, or food or beverage ingredients, not specially provided for.

Plaintiff’s dispute here is not with the classification of the metal tray under TSTJS item 653.80 but with the separate classification of the glass dish under TSTJS item 546.51. Plaintiff claims the glass dish should be classified and assessed as an entirety with the metal tray, dutiable under TSTJS item 653.80.

Exhibit 1 is a sample of the glass dish imported with the sample metal tray, marked exhibit 3. Exhibit 2 is sample of the glass dish imported with the metal tray of somewhat different style, marked exhibit 4. Defendant’s illustrative exhibit B is a silver metal tray with a shallow well said to be “the bottom part of a combination of a glass dish, a sauce ladle, and a tray, sold as a sauce set. It also can be used with a butter knife and sold as a butter dish amongst other uses. Without the knife and without the sauce ladle, it can be sold as a candy dish, nut dish or for any functional use with liquids or dry candies, mints, et cetera.” Exhibit C is a domestic catalogue of silver plate articles which include a silver tray, glass dish and spoon cata-logued as a jelly dish (glass lined) and spoon, ideal for serving relishes, jelly, preserves, pickles, and a jam jar, silver plate and spoon with a silver plate cover to hold jelly, jam and conserve.

It is stipulated that if the silver tray and glass dish are in fact entireties, “the entirety is in chief value of base metal, coated with silver.” At the trial, one witness testified for plaintiff and two witnesses testified for defendant. The testimony of Miss Frieda Pliller, for defendant, is concededly immaterial to the issue of whether the silver tray and glass dish are dutiable as an entirety.

Mr. Emanuel Drillman, testifying for plaintiff, stated that at the time the merchandise of this entry protest was imported, he was president of Taris Imports, Inc., the exclusive sales representative for Ikora products imported from Germany. He was familiar with Ikora silver tray and glass dish which he said were imported, cata-logued and sold as a unit.

The silver tray and glass dish are not sold separately. Each sale carries the company’s guarantee to replace the glass dish free of [264]*264charge if broken. The silver tray and glass dish are sold to department stores, jewelers, and gift stores, where they are displayed as a nnit.

The silver tray and glass dish, according to Mr. Drillman, are designed as a butter dish but can be used to serve marmalade and cheese. He had never seen them used separately. The silver tray carries a label warning that it should not be cleaned with abrasives or detergents. Mr. Drillman stated that if the silver tray were washed with detergent, it would, thereafter, tarnish.

On cross-examination, Mr. Drillman said that the silver tray and dish are denominated a butter dish or cheese dish, also sliced pineapple server, and fruit cocktail server. The tray cannot be used alone as a food server because it might be damaged by the food. He did not think the glass dish would be used alone as a candy or mint dish because it was not decorative enough. Mr. Drillman made it clear that the silver tray and glass dish are sold as a unit. He could not account for how a housewife might use the glass dish alone, she could use it for “whatever she wants to”. The glass dish is not sold separately but as a unit with the tray to protect it from tarnishing “when it is used for butter or cheese or anything else, as a matter of fact.” If a perishable product were served in the glass dish, the glass dish could and probably would be stored in the refrigerator without the tray. Mr. Drillman did not know if another glass dish would fit the imported silver tray but said that the imported glass dish was made to fit the well of the silver tray so that it “does not shake.”

Defendant called Mr. Harry Snelwar, president of Universal Importing Corporation, importers of chrome and silver plate, china and glass, to testify. Mr. Snelwar testified that illustrative exhibit B is ■a metal tray which his company sells in combination with a glass dish (not in evidence) and a sauce ladle (not in evidence). In some cases the glass dish combination of exhibit B was sold by itself but not as a general practice.

Mr. Snelwar recognized exhibit 1 as a typical liner for a butter dish or a cheese dish used in conjunction with a tray and was of the opinion that that “would be more or less a restrictive use of this [exhibit 1] glass”, “a very difficult item to sell by itself.” His company has had the experience of having to closeout glass dishes of the exhibit 1 type at a very low price indeed, in order to make them marketable and “sold them at ¡a considerable loss.” Silver trays, similar to exhibit 3, he said, were sold 'as an open stock item without the glass dish by many silver houses.

He identified the silver tray and glass dish catalogued at page 4 of exhibit C as a jelly dish sold as a single unit. The silver tray or [265]*265one similar to that shown with the jelly dish is also sold as a separate unit.

On cross-examination, Mr. Snelwar testified that his company does not sell exhibit B separately but as a sauce set with glass dish and sauce ladle. The glass dish with the sauce set is a fancy type glass sold separately in open stock as is the sauce ladle. Exhibit B could be used with an ordinary glass dish that fits the well of the tray, but exhibit 1 could not because its diameter exceeds, i.e., does not fit the well of the metal tray (exhibit B). It was Mr. Shelwar’s opinion that exhibit 1 was made specifically for the imported metal tray and had a value as does everything that is functional. “But, this [exhibit 1] would have a minimal value * * * couldn’t be sold at a profit * * * would have to be sold at a loss * * * would only bring about five cents in the market”, and is not commercially salable at a profit. Exhibit B was imported as part of the unit with the glass dish and ladle and the combination sold as a sauce set.

On redirect examination, Mr. Snelwar testified that, in his opinion, exhibits 1 and 2 (glass dishes) could be used separately but they would have no “general acceptance” and if sold as a closeout item, they would have to be sold at a loss, in which case they “could be used as an ash tray, for liquids — for anything.”

Counsel for both sides, 'having read and analyzed substantially the same legal precedents, come to opposite conclusions. Plaintiff concludes that the imported silver metal tray and glass dish are dutiable as an entirety because, as the facts support, they are imported and sold as a unit and the trays are not sold separately.

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Bluebook (online)
66 Cust. Ct. 262, 325 F. Supp. 905, 1971 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 2367, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ikora-inc-v-united-states-cusc-1971.