Jacket for staff at Hampton Court Palace

This Jacket is a Sealed Pattern dating from 1925, for the custodians and patrol staff of Hampton Court Palace. When a new type of palace uniform was needed, the design, style and material had to be considered carefully and possibly even trialed for comfort and practicality. Once the new design was agreed a 'master' of the design model, considered to be the best, was made and labelled. These labels often had a wax seal confirming it as the approved master example and this led to these being called a sealed pattern. When the new uniform was manufactured, to ensure the design was correct, special duplicates were made using the exact specifications from the sealed pattern to create Trade Patterns. Once these Trade Patterns were approved production of the uniform could take place.

Sealed Pattern labels can help not only in establishing both the correct designation of an item but also when an item was formally adopted for use. In some cases they also carry details of subsequent modifications or the date at which the item ceased to be in official use.