NATCHEZ — The sudden death of a well-known Natchez antiques dealer has come as shock to many in the downtown community.

On Thursday morning James Pippen was found dead next to his swimming pool at his home on Rankin Street.

Pippen was 53; all of his friends just called him Jimmy.

His antiques shop, Pippen’s Limited Antiques & Interiors, was closed on Thursday evening with a wreath of black ribbon and white flowers hung on the door.

Byron Aldridge, a friend of Pippen’s, passed by the shop after he heard of Pippen’s death.

Aldridge said he last spoke to Pippen on Tuesday.

That’s when Pippen stopped by Aldridge’s house to look at a Steinway piano he had considered buying.

“He was the absolute picture of health,” Aldridge said of Pippen at their last visit.

Many of Pippen’s friends said he was in good health, and the Adams County coroner and the Natchez Police chief said there was no indication of, nor was there any reason to suspect, foul play.

Other antiques dealers who knew and worked with Pippen said they had heard he died of a heart attack, but coroner James Lee said he did not know the cause of death yet.

Police Chief Mike Mullins said Pippen appeared to have died from natural causes.

Lee said an autopsy has been ordered.

However the results of that autopsy will likely bring little comfort to Pippen’s friends.

Ricky Smith owns an antique shop across the street from the one Pippen owned, the two were friends for 35 years.

“It was a real shocker,” he said of Pippen’s death.

Smith described his friend as a devout Christian, excellent piano player and an extremely multitalented man.

“This block will never be the same,” Smith said of the area on Franklin Street where Pippen ran his business for 18 years.

“He was the kind of person who loved life,” he said. “He loved being Jimmy Pippen.”