A sale of memorabilia from the estate of Whitney Houston has raised more than half a million dollars at auction in California.
More than 100 items from the late singer’s collection, including stage-worn outfits, awards and personal mementos, were offered at Heritage Auctions, as part of the company’s $1.59 million Entertainment and Music sale in Beverly Hills.
Leading the collection was a pair of game-worn sneakers gifted to Houston by her close friend, basketball legend Michael Jordan.
The sneakers were believed to have been worn circa 1990, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, during which Jordan scored 47 points as the Chicago Bulls beat the Detroit Pistons 107 – 102. Houston sang the U.S national anthem on court prior to the game, and was later photographed with Jordan and the sneakers in hand.
As a treasured item from her personal collection, and a piece of valuable sports memorabilia in their own right, the sneakers sold for $20,000.
A selection of Houston’s awards was led by her 1993 Billboard Award for ‘I Will Always Love You’, followed by her 1999 MTV Europe Music Award for ‘Best R&B’ video, both of which achieved prices of $17,500.
Prior to the sale, Houston’s 1986 Emmy for her performance of ‘Saving All My Love for You’ at the 28th Annual Grammy Awards had been removed due to a court injunction by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Further highlights from the collection, which realized a final total of $525,390, included stage-worn Dolce & Gabbana fur coat which sold for $16,250; a hand-painted and Dolce & Gabbana gown which sold for $13,750; and her personal passport, used during a decade on international touring, which sold for $11,250.
"The auction proves generations of fans are still in love with Whitney Houston’s legacy and contribution to music," said Greg Rohan, President of Heritage Auctions. "We take great pride in presenting this collection and the results are extremely satisfying, despite the fact we were barred from selling her Emmy."
