The "Antiques Roadshow" won't be the only art sensation in Honolulu this weekend.

At the same time a popular public television show is filming at the Hawai'i Convention Center today, part of Honolulu's best-known private art collection will be put up for sale in downtown Honolulu.

With 121 items spanning almost a century, the sell-off by Persis Corp. is creating a buzz among some art collectors that rivals the big PBS doing just a few miles away.

"I don't think we've ever seen a collection as diverse as this going on sale in Honolulu at one time," said auctioneer Marty McClain.

The collection is the property of the Hawai'i-based company of former Advertiser owner Thurston Twigg-Smith, renowned for his wide-ranging art interests ranging from missionary to modern times. The offerings include some paintings by well-known historical artists dating to the late 1800s, to sculptures and photographs with a decidedly modernist twist.

Many of the works have been displayed in the old Advertiser gallery, The Contemporary Museum or on the walls of the News Building for years.

"It's unusual for a collection as diverse as this to come around for sale in Honolulu, let alone in the world," said Adam Lambert, a project manager for McClain Auctions. "There are some very important pieces by artists who don't come available that often." Among the well-known names are David Hitchcock, Hiroki Morinoue, Masaki Sato and Joseph Raffael.

"The interest in early Hawaiian art has exploded in the last few years and so have the prices," said Michael Horikawa, owner of a fine arts gallery in Manoa. "There are only a few select buyers for those pieces, which could be very competitive."

Beyond the historical names, however, the auction offers a chance for beginning collectors or others to get their own little piece of contemporary art at an affordable cost, others said. Sale prices for most of the contemporary pieces are estimated to range from a few hundred dollars to more than $10,000, collectors said.

"For the personal collector not interested or capable of buying the big-name pieces, this is a good enough auction. There will be pieces that in 20 years will have more merit than what they have now," said gallery owner Robyn Buntin.

The big question is which art event will attract more attention. Buntin, for instance, said he'll be appraising work at the "Antiques Roadshow," but plans to send someone to bid on a few pieces he's interested in from the Persis collection.

"The treasure hunter can go to the Roadshow or the auction," he said. "It's the devil's choice."

Reach Mike Leidemann at mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com.