Henley-Waite Music Co. v. Grannis
Henley-Waite Music Co. v. Grannis
Opinion of the Court
Plaintiff sued to recover $550 on the purchase price of an “Appolio” player piano which the petition alleges was sold and delivered by plaintiff to defendant at the price of $950. A credit of $400 was allowed on account of an old piano and pianola which plaintiff states it agreed to take from defendant in part payment. The sale is denied in the answer and in a counterclaim defendant seeks to
Before the submission of the cause in this court, counsel for plaintiff formally withdrew from the case and no statement and brief have been filed on behalf of plaintiff.
Our examination of the record has lead us to the conclusion that the court erred in granting a new trial. Plaintiff, a dealer in musical instruments in Kansas City, endeavored to sell an “Appollo” player piano to defendant at the price of $950, and offered to allow defendant $400 for his old piano and pianola. Defendant agreed to buy on the terms proposed on-condition that after a test of the new instrument it would prove satisfactory to him. Plaintiff delivered the instrument to defendant’s home on those terms and took away the old instruments. Defendant, with in a reasonable time, notified that the new piano was not satisfactory and demanded that plaintiff take it away and return the old instruments but plaintiff refused to comply with the demand and brought this suit. The salesman of plaintiff who conducted the negotiations testified on direct examination that the sale was unconditional and. not on approval, but on cross-examination admitted that he agreed and represented that the piano should prove satisfactory to defendant. All of the evidence shows an agreement for a sale on approval within a reasonable time and a disapproval within that time.
To hold otherwise would be to substitute a court made contract for the one the parties made for themselves. Since the new piano was delivered on the express understanding and agreement that it would turn out to be satisfactory to defendant, and since within a reasonable time after its delivery defendant notified plaintiff that it was not satisfactory, there was no sale, and as the contract imposed no obligation on defendant to return the piano, it was the duty of plaintiff to restore the status quo existing at the time of the contract. In refusing to discharge this duty plaintiff was guilty of a conversion of defendant’s old piano. There was no issue of fact to submit to the jury except the amount of the damages defendant should have assessed on his counterclaim and as the alleged prejudicial remarks of counsel for defendant were addressed to other issues of fact improperly
The judgment is reversed and the cause remanded with directions to enter judgment on the verdict.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.