Background
Ives was born on March 5, 1824 in New York City, New York, United States. His father worked as the superintendent of Bellevue Hospital in New York City.
bookkeeper Businessman lithographer
Ives was born on March 5, 1824 in New York City, New York, United States. His father worked as the superintendent of Bellevue Hospital in New York City.
A self-trained artist, Ives's art education included visits to art galleries and the Astor Library. Although he went to work at the age of twelve, he continued his art education on his own.
Ives went to work at the age of twelve. In 1852 he entered the latter's firm as book-keeper. Very shortly it became evident that his arduously acquired artistic knowledge would be of great value to the house. He was able to direct the production of prints at once popular and well executed.
In 1857 he was admitted to the firm as partner, and the firm name was changed to Currier & Ives. Ives became virtually general-manager. A few of the great bulk of lithographs subsequently published were his own drawings, but in the main he merely directed the activities of the staff of artists employed by the house. In 1865 Ives moved from Brooklyn to Westchester, and two years later he moved to Rye, New York, where he resided for the rest of his life.
During the Civil War he organized and served as captain of Company F of the 23rd Brooklyn regiment, which saw service during the Confederate invasion of Pennsylvania. His lithograph business remained his main interest throughout his life, and his connection with it ended only with his death.
When Currier retired in 1880, his son Edward West Currier succeeded him. James Merritt died in 1895.
James Merritt Ives was endowed with a shrewd insight into the public taste, and a critical eye for technical perfection.
His wife was Caroline Clark, sister-in-law of Nathaniel Currier.