Max Wolf discovered IC 3872 = W. VI-88, along with several other faint IC galaxies within AGC 1638, on a Heidelberg plate taken 27 Jan 1904. He reported "vF, vS, iF, N."

900/1200mm - 48" (4/2/11): faint, very small, round, 12" diameter. IC 3874 lies 1' ESE. A mag 16-16.5 star lies 1.2' ESE. Located on the west side of AGC 1638 in a 5' group of a half-dozen IC galaxies.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb