Hundreds of quality, fresh-to-the-market lots in a rainbow of categories will cross the block the weekend of March 4-6, 2011 at Philip Weiss Auctions, in the firm’s gallery located at #1 Neil Court in Oceanside, NY. Offered will be vintage toys and trains, dolls, toy soldiers, comics, comic art, animation, Disney, sports memorabilia and estate merchandise.

The action will kick off Friday afternoon, March 4, at 4 PM, with a general estate sale featuring fine art, period furniture, decorative accessories and more. The Saturday session, on March 5, starting at 10 AM, will be dedicated to toys, trains and dolls. But Philip Weiss Auctions will save the best for last when the gavel comes down on Sunday, March 6, beginning at 10 AM.

Featured on Sunday will be items pertaining to former heavyweight boxing legend Jack Johnson, to include an 18kt gold and black opal pendant presented to Johnson in honor of his successful title fight against Tommy Burns in Australia on Dec. 26, 1908; and a walking stick presented to Johnson in London in 1911. An accompanying video shows Johnson with the stick.

Sports items to be sold on Sunday will include an archive of around 500 T206 baseball cards (not including Honus Wagner), a collection of 1911 T3 Turkey Red baseball cards, a Roger Maris game-used bat and a Yogi Berra All-Star Game-used bat, a rare Lladro FIFA World Cup, a Babe Ruth single-signed baseball, photos, uniforms, cards, many important autographs and more.

Comic art, also to be offered on Sunday, will feature a rare find: a recently discovered diary/sketchbook from counterculture cartoonist Robert Crumb. Also sold will be numerous vintage comics, to include Marvel, DC, an original-owner Golden Age comic collection, Silver Age comics, Disney items (porcelains, original paintings, limited-editions), and estate animation.

Toy train enthusiasts will not be disappointed on Saturday. Bidders will be treated to rare examples by Lionel, Marklin, Ives, American Flyer and more, to include an original “O” Scale Pennsylvania GG-1 4800 locomotive built by Edwin P. Alexander (circa 1930s), one of only six known to exist and not a machined kit; plus Part 3 of the Kozsey “HO” Brass Train Collection.

The Saturday session will also feature a group of a dozen original Star Wars figures, mint on the card; die-casts, to include Matchbox, early Hess trucks (including the very first Hess truck, in the original box), a nice collection of cast-iron still banks and toys (including Arcade, Hubley, Kenton and more), a large single-owner collection of Steiff animals, high-end porcelain dolls, and many toy soldiers, to include Britains, Durbar, Elastolins, dime-store figures and more.

The Friday session will be a general estate sale, featuring an eclectic mix of merchandise from prominent estates and collections. Of particular note will be the fine selection of original art, to include oil paintings, watercolors and pastels from the estate of the artist and renowned New York City musician Lester Schultz, known for his work in the band the El Street Café.

Other artists of note will include Louis Lozonvick, Kathan Brown, Marion Greenwood, Kyoshi Saito, Paolo Boni, Nicola Simbari, Jacques Potin, Lawrence Beall Smith, Joseph Floch, Raphael Soyer, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Masuo Ikeda, Lili Rethi, Georges Schreiber, Richard Florsheim, Jean Miotte, Alfred Montague, and other known, listed and highly collectible artists.

Decorative accessories will feature a 19th century French tea set by Alexandre-Auguste Turquet (active in Paris, 1855-1888), pieces by silversmiths Gorham and S. Kirk & Son, other sterling silver, a Toby collection, porcelains, pottery, Tiffany pieces, Boehm birds, lithographs, etchings, Art Glass vases (to include Herman Kahler, Loetz, Legras and others), a scarce set of 12 tin folding decoys, a Handel etched glass shade, and a Louis XVI marble and bronze desk.

Philip Weiss Auctions will have yet another three-day weekend blockbuster auction April 1-3, also in the firm’s Oceanside gallery. Already consigned are a major postcard collection, rare books, paper, autographs, rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia, folk art, Native American items, militaria, stamps, coins, transportation, aviation, automotive, maritime and items in additional categories.

Several lots are certain to pique bidder interest, such as the very chess set used by Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky in their legendary 1972 championship match in Reykjavik, Iceland. The set is signed by both men.  It had been given in 1972 to the president of the Icelandic Chess Federation. Also sold will be love letters written by Mr. Fischer, a genius and dedicated recluse.

A pair of Cigar Store Indians carved around the turn of the century and attributed to the renowned artisan Samuel Robb are sure to wow the crowd. One, titled “Chief Poke in the Nose,” is seven feet tall and for years stood guard in front of the original Schweitzer Sporting Goods and Cigar Store in Hoosick Falls, N.Y. The other is six feet tall and is hand-carved and painted wood.

Also worth noting is the Charlie Huttunen Postcard Collection, featuring about 250 lots of some of the finest real photo cards to hit the market in years. The collection features a strong emphasis on Long Island, aviation, the logging industry, holidays and more. Additional cards from other estates will also be featured. Also sold will be a collection of antique fire helmets.

Previews for the March 4-6 auction will be held on Wednesday, March 2, from noon to 5 PM, on Thursday, March 3, from noon to 8 PM, and and on Friday, the first day of sale, March 4, from noon to 8 PM. Phone and absentee bidding will be available (see the Philip Weiss Auctions website for details, www.prwauctions.com). Internet bidding will be facilitated by Proxibid.com.

Philip Weiss Auctions is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (516) 594-0731, or e-mail them at phil@prwauctions.com. To learn more about Philip Weiss Auctions and the firm’s calendar of upcoming auctions -- to include the March and April events -- log on to www.prwauctions.com.