Whitney Houston Auction: Her Things Are 'Like Stock,' Says Owner
A Whitney Houston auction was announced a little more than a week after the singer's untimely death.
Some of Whitney Houston's personal effects will be auctioned off to the highest bidder by Julien's Auctions, who specializes in selling celebrity memorabilia from their Beverly Hills location.
Despite the efforts of Houston's family to get her effects out of public hands, celebrity auctioneer Darren Julien says it's almost a given that something will be found from a celebrity's life that has value.
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"It proves a point that these items, they're an investment," Julien told The Associated Press. "You buy items just like a stock. Buy at the right time and sell at the right time, and they just increase in value."
Julien has a good chance of that happening, too. His company managed to snag a black velvet dress with a metallic silver ribbon Houston wore in "The Bodyguard," one of her most famous roles. In addition, Julien's Auctions owns her brown satin waistcoat and earrings from the film.
Together, the items are only worth about $2,000, but they could sell for much more. For fans, Houston is "someone who's going to maintain collectability," says Julien.
The auction will certainly make money. But many fans of Houston think it's too soon for an auction to be taking place, even if the "Hollywood Legends" auction is taking place March 31 and April 1.
"This is so sad. Wow, things are really based on money," wrote one Huffington Post user.
"That was fast. Did they have time to pry the handles off of her coffin? They looked expensive," wrote another, clearly disappointed with the rush to sell parts of Houston's life.
For Julien, however, he believes the auction is less about making money, and more about making Houston's life available to be preserved through the things she once owned.
"It's a celebration of her life," said Julien. "If you hide these things in fear you're going to offend someone- her life is to be celebrated. These items are historic now that she passed. They become a part of history."
