International Expediters, Inc. ex rel. Winsor & Newton, Inc. v. United States

26 Cust. Ct. 552, 1951 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 700
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedMarch 1, 1951
DocketNo. 7963; Entry No. 782788
StatusPublished

This text of 26 Cust. Ct. 552 (International Expediters, Inc. ex rel. Winsor & Newton, 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
International Expediters, Inc. ex rel. Winsor & Newton, Inc. v. United States, 26 Cust. Ct. 552, 1951 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 700 (cusc 1951).

Opinion

Mollison, Judge:

The correct basis of value of the merchandise-involved in this appeal for reappraisement has been conceded by both parties to be cost of production, as defined in section 402 (f) of the-Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U. S. C. § 1402 (f)), and the issue has been-limited to the addition for profit called for under item (4) of the said definition. For ready reference, section 402 (f), supra, is quoted in full in the margin.1

The case has been submitted for decision upon an agreed statement of facts as follows:

1. That the merchandise the subject of this appeal consists of artists’ colors-imported by winsob & newton Inc., the purchaser and ultimate consignee, from winsob & newton ltd., of Wealdstone, Middlesex, England, manufacturers and sellers thereof, that it is described in the invoice as “Studio Tubes Series 2”, that it was invoiced and entered at 39 shillings per dozen tubes, the list price, less a discount of 40 per cent plus the cost of cases (packing and woodwork) and', was appraised at the said list price less a discount of 33H per cent plus the cost of cases (packing and woodwork) on the basis of cost of production under'Sec.. 402 (f), Tariff Act of 1930.
2. That on or about March 18, 1947, the date of exportation herein and at all other times material herein such or similar merchandise was not freely offered for sale to all purchasers in the principal markets of the country of exportation-in the usual wholesale quantities, and in the ordinary course of trade for home-consumption therein or for export to the United States and other parts of the world; that such or similar imported merchandise was not at the aforesaid times- and under the aforesaid conditions freely offered in the United States for sale for domestic consumption therein; and that cost of production, as defined in-Sec. 402 (f) Tariff Act of 1930, is the proper basis of appraisement of the involved' merchandise.
3. That throughout the entire year 1947 and at all other times material herein the said Winsor & Newton Ltd. sold merchandise such or similar to the involved! merchandise in wholesale quantities for home consumption in the country of exportation and for export to the United States and other parts of the world; and that of the total quantity so sold 42 per cent was sold for home consumption-in the country of exportation, 47 per cent for export to countries other than the-United States and 11 per cent for export to the United States.
[554]*5544. That of the total quantity so sold for home consumption in the country of exportation 31 per cent was sold at the list price less wholesalers’ discount of 40 per cent plus packing, at which price the merchandise herein was entered, and ■69 per cent was sold at the list price less retailers’ discount of 33K per cent plus packing at which price the merchandise herein was appraised; that of the total quantity so sold for export to countries other than the United States 92 per cent was sold at the said entered price and 8 per cent at the said appraised price and that the entire quantity so sold for export to the United States was sold at the said entered price.
5. That of the total individual sales of the said merchandise for home consumption in the country of exportation 35 per cent was sold at the said entered price and 65 per cent at the said appraised price; that of the total individual sales of the said merchandise for countries other than the United States 58 per cent was sold at the said entered price and 42 per cent at the said appraised price; and that all sales of said merchandise for export to the United States were made at the said entered price.
6. That of the total quantity of the said merchandise so sold for home consumption in the country of exportation and for export to countries other than the United States and for export to the United States, 67 per cent was so sold at the said entered price and 33 per cent at the said appraised price; and that of the total individual sales in all of said markets 37 per cent was sold at the said entered price and 63 per cent at the said appraised price.
7. That during the entire year 1947 and at all other times material herein both the entered price and the appraised price of the involved merchandise were made up of (a) the cost of materials, labor and all other manufacturing costs as ■of the time prescribed by Sec. 402 (f) (1) Tariff Act of 1930, (b) the usual general expenses (not less than 10 per cent of such cost), (c) the cost of all containers and coverings of whatever nature, and all other costs, charges, and expenses incident to placing the merchandise in condition, packed ready for shipment to the United States, and (d) an addition for profit not less than 8 per cent of the ■sum of items (a) and (b) above; and that the said addition for profit in the entered price is equal to the amount ordinarily added for profit in the case of merchandise of the same general character as the involved merchandise, by manufacturers in the country of exportation who were engaged in the manufacture of merchandise of the same class or kind, in their sales at list prices less wholesalers’ ■discounts, and that the said addition for profit in the appraised price is equal to the amount ordinarily added for profit in the ease of merchandise of the same general character as the involved merchandise, by manufacturers in the country ■of exportation who were engaged in the manufacture of merchandise of the same •class or kind, in their sales at list prices less retailers’ discounts.
8. That at all times material herein the facts relative to the business of such manufacturers other than Winsor & Newton Ltd. were the same in all material respects as those in the case of Winsor & Newton Ltd., the manufacturer and seller herein.

It will be seen that by virtue of paragraph 7, above, there is no ■dispute as to the amounts entering into the elements of cost of production included under items (1), (2), and (3) of the cost of production statute, and that the sole issue is the amount to be added for profit under item (4) of the said statute.

From a perusal of the statement of agreed facts, the following may ibe concluded:

[555]*555A. That in each transaction “the profit which ordinarily is added, in the case of merchandise of the same general character as the particular merchandise under consideration, by manufacturers or producers in the country of manufacture or production who are engaged in the production or manufacture of merchandise of the same class or kind" was not a uniform amount, but was one of either of two amounts.

B. That the difference in the profit added did not depend upon whether the merchandise was sold for home consumption, for export to countries other than the United States, or for export to the United States.

C. That the sole determinant of the profit to be added in any transaction was the category of the purchaser, i. e., whether he was a' wholesaler or a retailer, the greater profit being realized upon sales to the latter category of purchaser.

D. That the profit added in the case of sales to wholesalers is that included in the entered value, and the profit added in the case of sales to retailers is that included in the appraised value.

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Bluebook (online)
26 Cust. Ct. 552, 1951 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 700, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/international-expediters-inc-ex-rel-winsor-newton-inc-v-united-cusc-1951.