United States v. Borrelli

19 C.C.P.A. 291, 1932 CCPA LEXIS 3
CourtCourt of Customs and Patent Appeals
DecidedJanuary 25, 1932
DocketNo. 3471
StatusPublished

This text of 19 C.C.P.A. 291 (United States v. Borrelli) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Customs and Patent Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Borrelli, 19 C.C.P.A. 291, 1932 CCPA LEXIS 3 (ccpa 1932).

Opinion

Bland, Judge,

delivered the opinion of the court:

The merchandise in this case consists of two classes of articles. The first class is what are called silver filigree pendants which are [292]*292quite elaborate, eacb being comprised of several loosely connected parts with dangling attachments, and completed to the extent that it is only necessary to provide some kind of fastener for the purpose of attaching it to a necklace or to the ear. In the condition imported, when the attachment is made, the articles are worn as pendants or earrings.

The second class is completed silver filigree balls with a silver wire running through each ball, each end of such wire being formed into a loop (unsoldered) so that the balls can be connected together without additional manufacture. .

The collector classified the merchandise under the first part of paragraph 1428 of the Tariff Act of 1922 and assessed it with duty at the rate of 80 per centum ad valorem.

The importers protested the classification of the collector and claimed the merchandise to be dutiable under several different paragraphs of the said tariff act, but in this court rely only upon their claim that the merchandise is dutiable under the last provision of paragraph 1428, supra.

. The pertinent competing portions of the paragraph follow:

Par. 1428. Jewelry, commonly or commercially so known, finished or unfinished, of whatever material composed, valued above 20 cents per dozen pieces, 80 per centum ad valorem; * * * stampings, galleries, mesh, and other materials
of metal, whether or not set with glass or paste, finished or partly finished, separate or in strips or sheets, suitable for use in the manufacture of any of the foregoing articles in this paragraph, 75 per centum ad valorem.

The United States Customs Court, First Division, sustained the protest and held the merchandise dutiable as “materials of metal * * * ■suitable for use in the manufacture of any of the foregoing articles «under the last portion of said paragraph 1428.

From the judgment of the court below, so holding, the Government has appealed to this court. The sole question presented is whether or not the pendants and balls involved are unfinished jewelry. If they are, it is not disputed that they should be classified under the first provision of paragraph 1428 rather than under any other claimed provision.

The Government relies upon the cases of Hecht Pearl Co. (Inc.) v. United States, 18 C. C. P. A. (Customs) 171, T. D. 44375, and cases cited therein; United States v. Flory & Co., 15 Ct. Cust. Appls. 156, T. D. 42219, and Konishi Kotakudo Co. (Inc.) v. United States, 17 C. C. P. A. (Customs) 355, T. D. 43798.

There was but one witness who testified, one of the importers, Francis Xavier Borrelli. We quote a material portion of his testimony:

Q. Wliat do you do with it? — A. We mount it with beads. We make earrings, etc.
[293]*293Q. In other words, various kinds of articles to be worn on the person? — A. Yes, ■ sir. We manufacture them ourselves.
Q. Taking these balls; would they be used for more than one particular kind of article? — A. Yes, sir.
Q. For instance, for necklaces and also other things? — A. Yes, sir.
Q. Would they be used in earrings? — A. We use them in earrings and for pendants and necklaces.
Q. How about the drops? What do you use them for — or the pendants, as you call them? — A. Mostly for earrings.
Q. What do you do to them in order to make them usable for earrings? — A. We attach a top.
Q. What is that top? What does it consist of? — A. Just the same metal, silver.
Q. A piece of metal to fasten to the ear? — A. Yes.
Q. And then this is attached to that?- — A. Yes, sir.
Q. In the case of the balls; what other materials do you use with them? — A. Real stones, imitation stones, pearls. ■ We make all kinds of combinations.
Cross-examination by Mr. GeisleR:
X Q. Mr. Borrelli, I show you the drops in Exhibit 2, the large silver one, or it is supposed to be silver. — A. It is silver.
X Q. That you say is used for what purpose? — A. Mostly for earrings.
X Q. And that article in itself, as it stands, is complete in itself, is it not?— • A. No.
X Q. Excepting the mere putting on of the wire for the ears? — A. Yes, sir.
X Q. You do not have to do anything to this particular thing? — A. We have to put a top on.
X Q. Exclusive of the top that is a finished article? — A. Yes.
X Q. All that is required is to put the desired top on; if it is for a piercing earring you put the wire on', and if it is to be pressed on, you put on the button?— A. Yes, sir.
X Q. Otherwise it is complete? — A. Yes, sir.
X Q. And that relates to the three tops — the same? — A. Yes.
X Q. So you call that jewelry, do you not, unfinished jewelry? — A. .Yes, sir.
X Q. With reference to these little balls, what did you say they were used for? — A. We make all kinds of combinations with beads.
X Q. They are also for jewelry? — A. Yes, sir.
X Q. And you merely connect them together with a loop? — A. Some with a loop, and some with beads; all kinds of things, ourselves.
X Q. Do you use any of them separately? — -A. No.
X Q. But as far as the bead itself is concerned, that is complete? — A. That is complete.
X Q. All that has to be done is to connect them together for the purpose you want to use them for? — A. Exactly.
X Q. They are used for jewelry entirely, are they not? — A. Yes, sir.
X Q. As I understand your testimony, it amounts to — it is unfinished jewelry? — A. Yes, sir.
Redirect examination by Mr. Klingaman:
R Q. Which ones did you call unfinished jewelry? — A. Both, I call that.
. Mr. Klingaman. I move to strike that out. That is the question for the court, as to whether it is unfinished jewelry.
Judge McClelland. Objection overruled.
Mr. Klingaman. Exception.

[294]*294We attach but little if any importance to the statement of the witness that the merchandise is unfinished jewelry, but the testimony shows the nature, construction, and use of the articles, which is important.

We think the case of United States v. Cohn & Rosenberger (Inc.), 19 C. C. P. A. (Customs) 137, T.D.

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19 C.C.P.A. 291, 1932 CCPA LEXIS 3, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-borrelli-ccpa-1932.