Arab icon's jewelry to be auctioned in Dubai

Jewelry once owned by the greatest Arab singer of the 20th century, Umm Kulthum, is set to be auctioned off at a Dubai's luxurious Emirates Towers, London-based auction house Christie's announced on Tuesday.

The auction will be held on April 28 and will showcase four items from the Egyptian diva's jewelry collection, including rare colored gemstones, exquisite natural pearls alongside designer watches.

One of the items up for sale is a brooch given to Umm Kulthum from the late Shah of Iran on the occasion of his wedding to Princess Fawzia, the sister of King Farouk, the late King of Egypt.

The highlight of the sale is an emerald, diamond and pearl set comprising a brooch, a bracelet and a pair of earrings that are estimated to be worth $40,000 to $60,000.

The upcoming auction follows last year's historic $1.4 million sale of Umm Kulthum's necklace that was given to her by the founding president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, and featured nine rows of pearls with multi-colored enamel and white stones.

"It is outrageous that Um Kulthum's belongings will be sold. Her belongings are national treasures the government should never foresake for some Dubai auction," Sawsan Mukhtar, Um Kulthum fan, told AlArabiya.net.

Umm Kulthum, who died in 1975 aged 71, was known as "The Shining Star of the Middle East," or Kawab El Sharq, and was revered in the Arab world and used to delight spellbound audiences worldwide with her vocal talents.

Such was her popularity that she was often afforded a similar welcome as visiting heads of state. Her funeral attracted four million people on to the streets of Cairo.