DeLisle Stewart discovered IC 4981 = D.S. 663 on a plate taken at Harvard's Arequipa station on 21 Sep 1900. He noted "eF, eS, * nr."

Both Joseph Turner and Pietro Baracchi sketched NGC 6876, 6877 and 6880 with the 48" Melbourne Telescope (on 12 Sep 1881 and 3 Sep 1885) but failed to notice IC 4981, though Baracchi plotted a 15th mag star at or near its position

400/500mm - 18" (7/10/02 - Magellan Observatory, Australia): this Pavo-I Group member is a faint companion of NGC 6880 and is situated just 1.1' NE of NGC 6880. At 171x it appeared very faint, very small, 20" diameter.

18" (7/8/02 - Magellan Observatory, Australia): extremely faint, small. Situated close NE of NGC 6880. A very faint star is superimposed on the north side.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb