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Too Soon? Whitney Houston Memorabilia in Upcoming Auction Will Be "a celebration of her life"
Houston in "The Bodyguard." Julien's Auctions' "Hollywood Legends" will include a pair of pearl drop earrings the singer wore in the film
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Auctions of celebrity memorabilia happen all the time, and attract all sorts of bidders. An upcoming auction of Hollywood memorabilia will include some items affiliated with the late Whitney Houston, and now the auctioneer says those items can be seen as "a celebration of her life," according to the Associated Press.The items, a pair of earrings Houston wore in "The Bodyguard," and a black velvet dress from the singer's own collection, "became available after the singer’s unexpected death on Feb. 11 and will be included among a long-planned sale of Hollywood memorabilia."
Darren Julien of Julien's Auctions, specializes in the selling of celebrity memorabilia, and acknowledges that items gain value with time--and timing--and dismisses the idea that including Houston items is too soon after the star's death this month.
Julien told the AP:
“If you hide these things in fear that 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. They should be in museums. She’s lived a life and had a career that nobody else has ever had.”
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The auctioneer also notes that for fans, buying memorabilia is a way they connect with the person they admire instead of meeting them in person.
The Hollywood Legends auction, which takes place March 31 and April 1 in Beverly Hills includes "over 800 items of Hollywood memorabilia and Historic Americana items," such as clothing worn by Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, and Princess Diana, among others. Looky-loos can get a free glance at the items up for bid:
The items can be viewed at Julien's Auctions gallery in Beverly Hills at 9665 Wilshire Boulevard from 10am to 5pm daily beginning Monday, March 19th, 2012 through Saturday, March 31, 2012 (exhibition is closed on Sundays).
The Houston items are expected to fetch more than initially valued prior to the singer's death. Incidentally, as the AP points out, the Hollywood Legends auction is taking place "just blocks from the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where Houston died at age 48."
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