Will & Baumer Candle Co. v. United States

37 C.C.P.A. 27
CourtCourt of Customs and Patent Appeals
DecidedNovember 7, 1949
DocketNo. 4618
StatusPublished

This text of 37 C.C.P.A. 27 (Will & Baumer Candle Co. v. United States) 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
Will & Baumer Candle Co. v. United States, 37 C.C.P.A. 27 (ccpa 1949).

Opinion

Garrett, Chief Judge,

delivered the opinion of the court:

Appellant here seeks reversal of the judgment of the United States Custom Court, First Division, one judge dissenting, entered in conformity with the majority opinion, C. D. 1146 (21 Cust. Ct. 149), overruling the protest of the importer against the classification by the Collector of Customs at the port of Syracuse, New York, of certain containers composed of glass, hereinafter more particularly described.

The majority opinion states that the protest is “overruled without affirming the action of the collector.” The dissenting judge agreed with the majority that the collector’s classification was erroneous, but was of opinion that the protest should have been sustained.

The Government took no appeal. So, the non-approval by the trial court of the collector’s classification is acquiesced in by counsel for the Government and is not before us for consideration.

Counsel for the Government suggest in their brief that classification under paragraph 230 (d) of the Tariff Act of 1930 “seems appropriate.” The brief concedes, however, that the issue before the court “does not call for a ruling on that point.”

So, we are concerned solely as to the applicability of paragraph 217 of the Act.

The merchandise, invoiced as “empty glass jars,” was imported from Canada and was classified by the collector “in liquidation as decorated glassware under paragraph 218 (f), T. A. of 1930, and assessed with duty at the rate of 60%.”

[29]*29The claim of the protest relied on by the importer is that the articles are properly classifiable under paragraph 217 of the 1930 act as unfilled jars, wholly or in chief value of glass, not specially provided for, suitable for use and of the character ordinarily employed for the holding or transportation of merchandise, and, by reason of the provisions of the reciprocal trade agreement announced in T. D. 50797 (78 Treas. Dec. 190) assessed with duty at ){ cent per pound.

As we understand the record, appellant manufactures, sells, and-ships a type of wax candle which is used ceremonially, or as a religious symbol, in churches or chapels. The trade name applied to the candle is “Sanctolite” and that name appears on the glass containers.

Certain exhibits introduced in evidence, taken in connection with the oral testimony, serve to illustrate the imported article and its uses. The following description is taken from the majority opinion of the trial court:

An official sample of tlie merchandise in question was received in evidence as exhibit 1. It consists of a cylindrical plain glass container, about 9J4 inches in height and 2}í inches in diameter, having a graduated depression or indentation in it running practically the entire length of the article. There are also two lugs or projections on the top rim. There is no stopper or covering used on this glass container. The trade name “Sanctolite” is molded or blown on the surface at the top. Below the name there are three vertical lines running parallel to each other approximately one-eighth of an inch apart. The two side lines are 3J4 inches long and the center line 4J4 inches, extending 1 inch below the other two lines. Beneath these lines, and almost touching the long center line,' there appears in raised letters the following legend:
La Cíe de Chandelles Will & Batjmeb Tee.
Candle Co. Ltd.
Montbeal, Can.
The name “Sanctolite” is used to designate a candle (plaintiff’s illustrative exhibit A) which is inserted into the imported glass container or formed therein. The candle and the glass container are sold as a unit to churches and institutions throughout the United States for use in a sanctuary lamp. There was also received in evidence as an illustrative exhibit the patented red glass sanctuary lamp and stand in which the imported article, with candle, is inserted (illustrative exhibit B). There is a “lug” or bulge in the lower portion of the red glass lamp shell which fits into the indentation in the imported glass container (exhibit 1). A sample complete with candle was received in evidence (illustrative exhibit C) to illustrate the condition in which the imported glass articles are sold and used in this country.
The treasurer of the plaintiff corporation testified that originally the “Sancto-lite” candles (illustrative exhibit A) sold by his company were not shipped in these imported glass containers but were shipped in wooden or cardboard cases; that due to high temperature and handling, the candles often became damaged and out of shape; and that the company had a great number of claims against it as a result of that method of shipment. He testified that to rectify such conditions his company had developed the glass container before us for holding and shipping these candles to its customers. The container and candle are used as a unit and inserted in the sanctuary lamp. The testimony would indicate that the importer’s customers [30]*30discarded the glass container (exhibit 1) after the candle was consumed. The imported glass container complete with the candle filler is sold as a “Sanetolite” as one article. Neither the candles nor the glass containers are ever sold separately (R. 15). The witness explained that the “lug” in the red sanctuary lamp (illustrative exhibit B) prevents the insertion in it of any container other than the type of container before us (exhibit 1), which has a graduated indentation or groove permitting the “lug” to slide into it. He further testified that the three lines beneath the word “Sanetolite” on the glass container mean nothing to,his company and that he did not know whether they were on the specifications given the manufacturer. The witness stated that, in his opinion, these three lines do not ornament the container to any extent and that the lines and words on the container cannot be seen when the candle is burning, since the sanctuary lamp (illustrative exhibit B) is' burned before the altar usually ón a stand, or suspended 15 or 25 feet above the floor.

The reciprocal trade agreement embraced in T. D. 50797, supra, modified paragraph 217 of the Tariff Act of 1930 only as to the rate of duty, % cent per pound being substituted for 1 cent per pound. The proviso of the paragraph was not affected by the agreement. So, the here pertinent phraseology of the paragraph with the modified rate substituted reads:

Par. 217. * * * jars * * * wholly * * * of glass, * * * unfilled * * *: If holding more than one pint, J4 cent per pound * * *: Provided, That the terms * * * “jars,” * * * as used herein, shall be restricted to such articles when suitable for use and of the character ordinarily employed for the holding or transportation of merchandise * * *. (Italics quoted)

Our sole concern here is whether the involved jars fall within the meaning of the phraseology so quoted, and the determination of that question depends upon the meaning which attaches to the language of the proviso.

It is apparent that the candles, which constitute the merchandise that is held and transported in the jars, are of a somewhat different shape and size from ordinary candles.

In the majority opinion of the trial court it is said, inter alia:

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Related

United States v. Hudnut
15 Ct. Cust. 463 (Customs and Patent Appeals, 1928)
Will & Baumer Candle Co. v. United States
21 Cust. Ct. 149 (U.S. Customs Court, 1948)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
37 C.C.P.A. 27, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/will-baumer-candle-co-v-united-states-ccpa-1949.