The Whitney Houston Collection Presents Artifacts of Beloved Singer’s Career

BEVERLY HILLS - The Whitney Houston Collection, more than 100 pieces of memorabilia - including awards, stage-worn costumes, passports and gold records - from the life and career of Whitney Houston, one of the top pop superstars of the last 30 years, will be presented by Heritage Auctions in Beverly Hills, June 24-25, 2016 as part of the company’s Entertainment & Music Signature® Auction.

The trove is being offered by The Whitney Houston Estate.

“We felt that it was time to give something of Whitney to the people who loved her and her music,” said Pat Houston, Whitney’s manager, President of the Whitney Houston Estate and her sister-in-law, “and, conversely, who Whitney loved back with all of her heart and soul.”

The collection is a broad mix of material that spans the performer’s amazing and prolific career as a singer, an arranger, an actress and fashion maven. It is the most comprehensive offering relating to Ms. Houston that has ever been made available. 

“Whitney Houston, still so widely beloved and venerated today, was the voice of her generation and the most highly awarded female vocalist in history,” said Garry Shrum, Consignment Director for Entertainment & Music memorabilia at Heritage Auctions. “This collection, lovingly offered by her family and her estate, offers fans and collectors both moving insight into her amazing talent and glamorous career.”

Highlights of the collection include, but are certainly not limited to:

Whitney Houston's Personal Script for Waiting to Exhale, 1995: Ms. Houston's personal script from the 1995 filmWaiting to Exhale, bound in a purple leather-like material with gold trim. Whitney's character's name, Savannah Jackson, is inscribed in blue ink on the first page in Ms. Houston’s own hand. At the 27th NAACP Image Awards, Whitney was nominated in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture, while she walked away with four awards for the soundtrack of the film.

Whitney Houston Signed Naval Cap Worn During the HBO Special Welcome Home Heroes, 1991: A white canvas officer's cap with glossy black plastic bill, top signed by Ms. Houston in black felt pen: “Peace & Love/ Whitney,” with a doodle of a smiley face, which was Ms. Houston’s trademark signature. The hat was given to Ms. Houston by a Naval officer. She signed the cap and gave it back to the officer who, at that point, gave it back to the iconic singer. The HBO special Welcome Home Heroes was filmed at the Naval Air Station in Norfolk, Virginia and broadcast live on March 31, 1991. 

A pair of Nike Air Jordan Sneakers gifted to Whitney Houston by Michael Jordan, circa 1990: Pair of Air Jordan V “Metallics,” black and silver with Jordan's trademark no. "23" stitched in white to the heels, both with size tags inside “US Size 13.” Accompanying photo shows Whitney and Jordan, with Whitney holding the sneakers. Included is a two volume copy of Jordan’s For The Love Of The Game, 1998, signed and inscribed “To Whitney Still love your music/ Much love Michael Jordan.” Gifted to Whitney by Jordan on the night of Game 3 of the Pistons vs. Bulls 1990 Eastern Conference Finals, where Whitney sang the pre-game National Anthem. Jordan scored 47 points that night in a 107-102 win over the Pistons.

Whitney Houston’s People's Choice Award for “Favorite Female Musical Performer,” 1989: Base engraved to read: “The People's Choice Award/ 1989/ Whitney Houston/ Favorite Musical Performer.” In 1989 it was Whitney’s third year in a row to win the award for Favorite Female Musical Performer.

Whitney Houston Billboard Award for “#1 R&B Album” for The Bodyguard, 1993: Base inscribed to read “Billboard/ 1993 Music Awards/ Whitney Houston/ #1 R&B Album/ 'The Bodyguard.'” The Bodyguard won a record 11 Billboard awards in 1993, a period when the film and its soundtrack were a massive pop-cultural presence worldwide. 

Whitney Houston & David Foster NARAS Recognition Certificate for "I Will Always Love You", 1993: Embossed gold NARAS certificate reads “The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc. presents this certificate to Whitney Houston & David Foster in recognition of participation as arrangers on the Grammy Award-winning 'I Will Always Love You' - Whitney Houston, in the category of RECORD OF THE YEAR, Awards Year 1993”. Here Whitney and her producer David Foster are credited with taking Dolly Parton's Countrypolitan classic and making it the timeless Pop masterpiece it became. “I Will Always Love You” is the number one hit single of the 1990s, according to Billboard.

Whitney Houston American Music Award in the Category of "Favorite Album, Soul/Rhythm & Blues" for The Bodyguard, 1994: Plaque inscribed “Favorite Album, Soul/Rhythm & Blues/ 'The Bodyguard'/ Whitney Houston/ 1994”. Due to the massive success of her 1992 film The Bodyguard, and the movie's hit soundtrack album, Whitney walked away from the 1994 American Music Awards with eight nominations and seven wins, further cementing her place among the pantheon of greatest performers in popular music history.

Whitney Houston’s US Passport, signed, used during her first international tours 1985: Whitney's United States passport, issued on February 19, 1985, cancelled Sept. 2, 1994, signed “Whitney Elizabeth Houston.” Brimming with stamps and special visas to countries including France, Japan, Brazil, Holland, Great Britain and several others, tracing the history of the beloved singer's first international tours.

Whitney Houston Stage-Worn Dolce & Gabbana Multi-Colored Fur Coat, 1999: A one-of-a-kind pink/black multi-colored floor-length fur coat, designed by Dolce & Gabbana, worn on stage by Whitney Houston during her 1999 My Love Is Your Love tour. Designed specifically for Whitney. Usually worn as she made her entrance either at the top of the show, after an intermission or after a wardrobe change.

Whitney Houston’s People's Choice Award for “Favorite Female Musical Performer,” 1988: Engraved to read: “The People's Choice Award/ 1988/ Whitney Houston/ Favorite Female Musical Performer.” At this point in her career, Whitney had released two albums and, at age 25, had become an international superstar. The same year saw her win two American Music Awards, a Grammy, and numerous other awards and honors.

Whitney Houston American Music Award in the Category of "Favorite Video Single, Soul/R&B" for the Song "Saving All My Love for You", 1986: Inscribed “Favorite Video Single, Soul/R&B/ 'Saving All My Love for You'/ Whitney Houston” The song was a hit single from Whitney's debut album, which has sold more than 25 million copies to date worldwide. During her career, Whitney won more AMA's than any other female nominee in history and, in 1994, tied Michael Jackson for most nominations (8) in a single year.

Whitney Houston Emmy Award for “Saving All My Love for You” as Performed on the Grammys, 1986: Inscribed “1985-1986 Primetime Emmy Awards/ Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program/ Whitney Houston/ The 28th Annual Grammy Awards/ 02/25/86/ CBS.” The plaque is upside-down. The second single from Houston's self-titled debut album, “Saving All My Love for You” was her first Number #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was performed by Houston at the 1986 Grammy Awards, which won her this Emmy. 

Whitney Houston's Personal Greatest Love Tour Jacket, 1987: Whitney's personal jacket, worn on The Greatest Love tour, embroidered with her initials on the front and with a globe and rose and “Whitney Houston” in silver on the back. From Whitney’s first world tour, lasting four months, which began in North America on July 26, 1986.

Whitney Houston RIAA Hologram Gold Sales Award for “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me),” 1987: Inscribed to read “Presented to Whitney Houston to Commemorate the Sale of More Than 1,000,000 Copies of the Arista Records Single Record 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me).'” This was the first single from Whitney’s second album, Whitney, which won her the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and topped the charts in 13 countries.

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