NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Fifteen gowns and dresses previously owned by Whitney Houston, some worn on-stage and others at events and galas, plus some of the late singing legend’s personal effects – such as pins, costume jewelry and other stage items – will be sold at public auction on Saturday, Nov. 21st, by Stevens Auction Company, at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Resort.

The Whitney Houston items are the undisputed stars of the auction, but also sold will be many fine antique items, pulled from prominent estates and collections from Texas to the East coast. Included will be priceless American and European antiques, and a rare bronze door, estimated at about 1,600 pounds, possibly the most important antique bronze sculpture of a door ever offered.

Ms. Houston’s fifteen dresses and gowns are in pristine, like-new condition. All of them were important to the late singer’s career and the public will be viewing them for the first time since she wore them and they went into storage. Perhaps the most important one of the group is a gold and white dress designed by Bob Mackie. All the dresses, though, are seen as highly collectible.

The dresses and personal effects are from the late singer’s Bodyguard World Tour, launched on the heels of the hit movie The Bodyguard (starring Ms. Houston and Kevin Costner) and taking her to numerous countries on five continents, from July 1993 to November 1994. At the end of the tour, the items were placed into storage at a New Jersey facility, where they sat undisturbed.

For reasons that are still unclear, storage fees went unpaid and piled up over the course of many years. Finally, a court ordered that some of the items be sold at auction to satisfy that debt. In 2007, five dresses and three ensembles from Houston’s wardrobe were sold at auction. Then, in 2012, just weeks after the singer’s death, another auction was held, this time in Beverly Hills.

At that sale, a bustier embellished with elaborate beading, rhinestones and pearls hammered for $19,200; the grey velvet gown Houston wore when she attended the Clive Davis pre-Grammy party with then-husband Bobby Brown in 1996 brought $11,520; and two sets of earrings and a vest worn in The Bodyguard (1992) fetched $8,500. In all, bidders paid a total of about $80,000.

The antiques and collectibles in the upcoming sale, in addition to the bronze door, will include period American furniture by renowned 19th century craftsmen such as the Herter Brothers and John H. Belter, artwork and many items never before offered to the public – around 350 lots in all. Most of the items, including the Houston dresses, may be seen at www.stevensauction.com.

Furniture pieces by Belter will include an excellent rosewood recamier (or fainting couch) and a matched pair of rosewood side chairs. Both the recamier and chairs are in the Tut Hill King pattern. A star lot from the Herter Brothers is a quality rosewood inlay parlor cabinet. Also sold will be truly king-size gold gilded bed of Russian royalty (circa 1650-1750), 10 feet 6 inches tall; and a mahogany all-original three-quarter tester plantation bed signed C. Lee, 9 feet 6 inches tall.

Additional items will feature a signed and numbered lithograph by Salvador Dali, with viewer, titled Christ of Gala, 57 inches by 48 inches; a gorgeous antique rosewood Steinway parlor grand piano in fully restored condition; and a rosewood rococo music box with heavily carved feet and a thick marble top. The museum-quality music box has a piano-shaped sound board.

The auction will get underway promptly at 10 a.m. Central time, and an auction open house (or preview) will take place on Friday, Nov. 20th, from 3-8 p.m. It will coincide with the opening of the 2015 Opryland Country Christmas -- an annual spectacle with five million Christmas lights. The Opryland Hotel is practically a city unto itself. Visitors will be in awe of its size and beauty.

The auction will be broadcast in real time around the world through LiveAuctioneers.com, but bidders should know that they must register to bid online at least 12 hours prior to the start of auction in order to be approved to bid. A 15 percent buyer’s premium and applicable Tennessee state sales tax will be charged on all purchases. Phone bids are available with prior arrangements.

Stevens Auction Company (based in Aberdeen, Miss.) has entered into an agreement with the Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Resort (located at 2800 Opryland Drive in Nashville) so that 275 rooms are available for attendees of this auction, at the discounted room rate of $189 per night (the regular rate is over $300 per night). Attendees are encouraged to book their rooms early.

To enjoy the deeply discounted room rate at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Resort, click on the link shown: https://resweb.passkey.com/Resweb.do?mode=welcome_gi_new&groupID=52714794.

“Folks who plan to attend this auction – and we expect there will be many – must mention the Whitney Houston auction and Stevens Auction Company when they call the Opryland Hotel,” said Dwight Stevens of Stevens Auction Company. “For those who can’t come in person, online bidding will be available via LiveAuctioneers.com. Phone and absentee bids will also be taken.”

Stevens Auction Company is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign a single item, an estate or an entire collection, you may call them directly, at (662) 369-2200; or, you can e-mail them at stevensauction@bellsouth.net. To learn more about Stevens Auction Company and the upcoming Saturday, November 21st auction, visit www.stevensauction.com.

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