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British auctioneer John Nicholson claims that an artist named Pietro Psaier collaborated with Andy Warhol in his New York studio, the "Factory," and was integral to Warhol's success. According to the Times (London), Nicholson alleges that the two artists met in a Greenwhich Village cafe where Psaier was working in the 1960s, and that Warhol affectionately referred to Psaier as "Peter the Italian."

Nicholson's company, John Nicholson Auctioneers, is holding a sale of Psaier's work on September 10, which is accompanied by a statement about the obscure artist's background and connections. While verification of the claim would considerably boost the sale, guardians of the Warhol estate are disputing Nicholson's findings.

“I don’t remember ever seeing anything in the literature or anywhere else,” said Tim Hunt, a British curator with the Warhol Foundation.

Some experts are even questioning if Psaier ever existed: “We’ve searched through all his papers. I haven’t ever seen his [Psaier’s] name. Zero. Zilch,” said Matt Wrbican, archivist at the Warhol Museum. He added, “I have been working with him [Warhol] close to 18 years and I’ve never seen this guy’s name. I’m not sure he ever existed.”

The Nicholson Web site claims that Psaier produced layouts, silk screens, and joint works with Warhol at Warhol's studio and helped maintain the production of the Factory's commerical output. Regarding the artist's obscurity up until this point, the Web site explains that Psaier chose with “dignity and style not to take the limelight from Warhol.” He allegedly died in the 2004 tsunami, which swept away his beach house on the coast of Sri Lanka. His body was never found.

Nicholson has sold over 200 Psaier works in the past, the most expensive of which was a £14,000 ($27,000) chalk drawing of Marilyn Monroe in red — supposedly a joint effort between Psaier and Warhol.

Nicholson also claims that some of his clients worked in the Factory and knew Psaier. He mentioned that the paranormalist Uri Geller could help prove his case, although Geller is quoted by the Times as saying "I've never heard of him [Psaier]."