Manca, Inc. v. United States

38 Cust. Ct. 271
United States Customs Court·Decided April 26, 1957·No. C. D. 1874·Published·Cited by 59 cases

Opinion

Wilson, Judge:

The involved merchandise consists of two types

of a device known as an “enlarger,” an instrument for taking a photograph of a subject in an enlarged size, imported under the trade names “Yaloy” and “Focomat.” It was classified under the provisions of paragraph 228 (b) of the Tariff Act of 1930 at the rate of 45 per centum ad valorem as “projection lenses * * * frames and ■mountings therefor.” Plaintiff claims that the articles at bar are properly classifiable under paragraph 1551 of 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, at the rate of 15 per centum ad valorem as photographic cameras.

It appears that the merchandise in this case was imported without lenses and, at the trial, the protests herein were amended to include, in addition to the claim at the rate of 15 per centum ad valorem under paragraph 1551, as modified, supra, a claim at the rate of 20 [272] per centum ad valorem under the pertinent paragraph of the act, depending on whether the imported merchandise might be construed as photographic cameras or as parts thereof.

Certain pictorial representations of the involved items, which were used to pi’omote the sale of the merchandise, were received in evidence as plaintiff's exhibits 1 and 3 (R. 12).

Two witnesses testified on behalf of the plaintiff. Plaintiff’s witness, Alfred Boch, is the vice president of E. Leitz, Inc., and also vice president of the plaintiff concern. He stated that Manca, Inc., is the importer of the involved merchandise, and that E. Leitz, Inc., is the distributor in the United States (R. 6). The witness, who had supervised the importation of the involved items and who was familiar with their function and performance, described the merchandise in substance as follows:

Both enlargers, the “Valoy” and “Focomat,” serve the purpose of “making enlarged prints, photographic prints on sensitized paper, or on sensitized material”; both consist of a base with an upright, to which is attached an enlarger head; the upper part of the enlarger head is a lamp housing, which serves the purpose of illuminating the negative, which is introduced into the enlarger; below the negative is a photographically corrected lens. The lens forms an image from the negative on the base of the enlarger or on an easel. Both enlargers permit the use of a small “cassette or magazine,” into which can be inserted sensitized photographic film; this can be put into the enlarger head, where the negative would normally be located, and photographs can then be taken in the usual manner.

The enlargers are used in a dark room with a safety light, the lamp in the enlarger being turned on for a period of time to expose the sensitized material.

In the employment of lenses with these enlargers, “a photographically corrected lens” is used, so that any imperfections in the image may be observed. The “Focomat” and the “Valoy” enlargers differ in that one must be focused by hand, and the other may be focused automatically (R. 15-18).

Plaintiff’s witness further testified that a projection lens is normally not a single lens but a lens system, consisting of several single lens components, which are mounted together in a “mount”; that a projection lens is more appropriately described as a projector, and not a mount for a projection lens. He stated that, as a unit, the projector is one which would include a lens, and, in addition, magnification and light source, as well as certain arrangements for switching the picture on and off (R. 20-21).

The witness testified that the purpose of a projector would be to project or throw an image on a screen, so that it could be conveniently [273] observed; that, in his opinion, a projector serves the purpose of projecting an image of a transparency or something else on the screen, and not photographically recording that image, stating, in this connection, that a projector does not use sensitized material as is employed in the case of enlargers (R. 23).

Mr. Boch then testified that, in his opinion, an enlarger is a photographic apparatus or a photographic camera and that he did not consider such an instrument to be a projection lens or a projector. Ho stated, as reasons for such conclusion, that a photographic camera serves the purpose of photographically recording an image on sensitized material; that, after development of the image, a permanent record is obtained, whereas a projector, while serving the purpose of projecting the image, does not photographically record the image permanently; that a projection lens does not have the necessary high degree of correction to produce a satisfactory photographic image (R. 24-25).

On cross-examination, the witness Boch testified that the enlargers are used in a dark room with a safety light; that they could not be used in a room with the light on, except with the use of a hood to protect the sensitized paper, but that photographic cameras, like the box camera, could be used to take a picture in a room with the lights on. In this connection, plaintiff’s witness testified that “You use light to record the image in both instances” (R. 29). He stated that the enlarger differs from a projection apparatus, such as a magic lantern, with respect to the lens, the lens in an enlarger having a higher degree of correction (R. 31-32). The witness further testified that, when using these enlargers with a cassette or magazine to take photographs, the light source in the enlarger remains inoperative. With respect to the use of a cassette or magazine in the involved enlargers, the record discloses the following:

Judge Mollison: When you use a cassette, what would you have in the magazine when you put it into the enlarger?
The Witness: Sensitized film.
Judge Mollison: The same as you put in the ordinary 35 millimeter camera, or whatever size film .you use?
The Witness: Tes. (R. 33.)
‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ *
Judge Mollison: Suppose you were going to use the enlarger to take a picture, and you inserted unexposed regular photographic film in the cassette or magazine, and put that into the enlarger; you first would turn off the light that you normally use for enlarging, and then having done so, you then would use whatever available light, either in the room or that you provided, in order to take a picture, correct?
The Witness: Yes, I would have to provide some light.
Judge Mollison: If you were using the slower film, you would have to have more light?
[274] The Witness: Yes.
Judge Modlison: Jf you use the enlarger to take a picture in the normal way you use an ordinary 35 millimeter camera and then turn off the enlarging light, you would have to provide some light on the subject in order to get a picture, is that correct?
The Witness: Yes. (R. 35-36.)

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Manca, Inc. v. United States, 38 Cust. Ct. 271 (cusc 1957).

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