The end of the Roger dynasty leaves plenty to treasure
Now the contents of the family's homes in London - in Addison Road, Portland Place and Walton Street costume spiderman- and elsewhere, are to be auctioned following the recent death of the last of his three sons, who included the celebrated dandy, "Bunny" Roger.
Among the 1,500 lots is a £15,000 chandelier and dozens of six-figure paintings. All go catsuit under the hammer at a three-day Sotheby's sale from 28 January, which is expected to raise around £1.5 million.
The list of treasures is almost endless: Giltwood mirrors, ornate rosewood tables, pottery by Hans Coper and Lucie Rie, candelabra, papier mache furniture, garden statues and dressing sets - even a £1,000 silver chamber pot. Bunny Roger's exotic clothes - suitably subtitled by Sotheby's as "The wardrobe of a 20th century Dandy" - include the "Amethyst Ball" zentai bodysuit he wore to celebrate his 70th birthday in 1981.
Bunny, a designer who opened his own dress shop in Bruton Street in 1937 with £1,000 backing from his longsuffering father, invented the "amethyst" anniversary because he adored the colour mauve.
The beaded costume spiderman should fetch up to £500.
Alexander Roger, the archetypal self-made man, went from poverty to incredible riches as chairman of Telephone and General Trust. He married mayor's daughter Helen Clark in 1908 and they had three sons - Alan, Neil (Bunny) and Alastair (always known as Sandy). After the Second World War, Sandy and Bunny shared a house in Walton Street, where their New Year's Eve parties were notorious. Photographs of one "fetish" party, showing men in bondage straps catsuit and high heels dragging their wives along on chains, ended up in a Sunday newspaper. Sir Alexander was outraged, but Lady Roger merely remarked: "I wonder how they managed to walk in those high heels all night."