Whitney Houston Items to be put up for auction

Some items that belonged to Whitney Houston will be sold at celebrity auctioneer Darren Julien's "Hollywood Legends" auction on March 31 and April 1.

The Huffington Post reports a black velvet dress of Houston's, in addition to a pair of earrings and a vest she wore in The Bodyguard, will be sold to the highest bidder at the auction.

Juilien explains that when a celebrity passes, their collectables often become available.

Other items that will be auctioned off include, Charlie Chaplin's cane, Clark Gable's jacket from Gone With the Wind, and Charlton Heston's staff from The Ten Commandments.

There have been some criticisms that it is simply too soon to be profiting from the singer's passing, as she was just buried this past Saturday.

But Julien defended his decision to include the items.

“It’s a celebration of her life,” Julien said. “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," he explained, quoted by My Fox Philly.

The black velvet dress is valued at $1,000, but it is expected to sell at a much higher price. The earrings have been listed at $600 and the vest at $400.

Both fans and collectors will be able to bid either by phone or in person at the "Hollywood Legends" auction on March 31 and April 1. There will be a free public showing of the lots at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills, California.

A big ticket item that will be available is a gown designed for Princess Diana by Catherine Walker, with a value between $80,000-$100,000