E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Bandbox.
He comes out of a bandbox—i.e. he is so neat and precise, so carefully got up in his dress and person, that he looks like some company dress, carefully kept in a bandbox.
1
Neat as a bandbox. Neat as clothes folded and put by in a bandbox.
