Artist Signature Information Sought

[hddennis]

Just acquired another Komai cigarette case and would like any information I can find. I think the inside seal represents a branch of the Komai makers family that I haven't been able to pinpoint yet. On the outside back is the initials of the original owners and below are Japanese kanji I don't know and wonder why the case would have multiple signatures.

Thanks in Advance for any help,

Howard Dennis

[SteveM]

Back two kanji are 神戸　(Kōbe). 

Inside of the back says 日本国京都住駒井製　(Japan, Kyōto, made by Komai)

[hddennis]

Thank you Steve M,

In your opinion would this be read as the case was made by an artist named Kobe working at the Komai workshop?

 

Howard Dennis 

[SteveM]

I don't know anything about these kinds of items or the Komai group. If I had to take a guess, I would say Kōbe just refers to the city of Kōbe, and perhaps the owner's monogram was added there (maybe indicating a souvenir bought from a shop in Kōbe?). 

 

”Kōbe" also works as a family name in Japan, so that is another possibility.