Little Church Around the Corner – Framed Book Print | Flea & Frame Creation

A beautiful old illustration, a character-filled wood frame, and a glimpse of historic New York given a new life.

This one-of-a-kind Flea & Frame creation features a book print of “The Lych Gate; Little Church Around the Corner – New York,” after the work of prominent American printmaker Charles Frederick William Mielatz (1864–1919).

The detailed scene depicts the lychgate entrance to the historic Church of the Transfiguration on East 29th Street in Manhattan, affectionately known as the “Little Church Around the Corner.” The church and surrounding architecture rise quietly in the background, while the foreground captures an ordinary moment of New York life—a street sweeper working beside his pushcart on a rain-slicked street.

It’s that contrast that makes this image so interesting to me. Rather than simply documenting a New York landmark, the artwork preserves a small moment of everyday city life from another era.

For this Flea & Frame creation, I paired the print with a rich, warm-toned wood frame that has wonderful age and character of its own. The scattered marks, small holes and imperfections throughout the wood give the frame a beautifully timeworn appearance that feels especially fitting with the historic subject matter.

Repurposing old book illustrations is one of my favorite parts of creating for Flea & Frame. Some older books I find are heavily damaged and can no longer reasonably be preserved as complete books, yet their pages often hold beautiful artwork worth saving. I carefully repurpose those illustrations and pair them with thrifted and vintage frames, giving both pieces another opportunity to be appreciated.

Measuring approximately 8 1/2” x 10”, this piece would be beautiful tucked into a gallery wall, displayed on a bookshelf or easel, or styled in a study, library or collected vintage vignette.

Details: Flea & Frame original creation • framed book print • “The Lych Gate; Little Church Around the Corner – New York” • artwork by Charles Mielatz • historic New York City subject • warm wood frame with naturally aged character • measures approximately 8 1/2” x 10” • ready to display.

Please note that vintage and repurposed materials naturally show signs of their previous lives. The age marks and imperfections in the frame are part of its authentic character and are intentionally preserved in this Flea & Frame creation.