There's nothing more exciting than winning an auction that adds that perfect piece to your collection. And there's nothing more frustrating than discovering you missed the opportunity because you didn't know the item you were looking for was up for sale. Perhaps you learned about an auction too late to place a bid or were simply unaware of all the places that might be auctioning items in your chosen field.

Such aggravations can now be a thing of the past thanks to Auctionblip.com (http://www.auctionblip.com).

Online since last autumn, Auctionblip calls its service "The collector's greatest tool." Its international network is currently comprised of approximately 70 auction houses including both general sales and specific niche galleries. While an excellent resource for individuals with a single common collecting interest, the site can be a true godsend for those whose collections are eclectic or fall into a less-than-popular category.

Site creator David Epstein, a lifelong hardcore collector himself, realized the impossibility of successfully researching stacks of auction catalogs on a continuing basis. According to Epstein, "With so many auctions taking place each week, there is no way for one person to search every catalogue for a particular item. Auctionblip allows users to enter specific items they are looking for and then sit back while we take care of the rest."

Like most successful dotcoms, Epstein describes his brainchild as, "A simple idea that came out of need." The man who describes his boyhood bedroom as "a museum," found himself spending hours looking for auction houses around the world and scanning stacks of catalogs to complete his own lengthy wish list for items including Swiss Army knives, Matchbook cars, baseball cards, Civil War items, coins and one of his particular favorites - CrackerJack prizes.

"I knew I had something going," he said," when I called the auction houses and people said, "What a simple idea. Why hasn't anyone done this?""

For a monthly fee of $5.99, subscribers are allowed to list keywords for up to 10 items of interest. (Members are allowed to rephrase "wish list" information or change items completely as often as they like.) The Blip staff researches catalogs for upcoming sales on a daily basis. When a listing is found that fits a subscriber's criteria, notification is sent (via email) with the name of the auction house, the auction date, pictures and a detailed description of the specific item as well as bidding information and a link to the auction site.

Common wish-list items can bring collectors an immediate response, while rarer or more obscure items may require months on the list before a "hit" is announced. In addition to general offerings, the network covers specialty sales in antiques and the fine arts as well as toys, wine, print materials, jewelry, movie memorabilia and even vintage cars. With partners around the world, and a list of participants that is constantly growing, Auctionblip provides subscribers with information about auctions they might never have heard about on their own.

As for the site's name, Epstein explains that for most collectors, finding a specific item without help is like shooting in the dark. But Auctionblip puts thousands of items "on the radar" so its members can easily find them.