Lewis Swift discovered NGC 1118 = Sw. V-46 on 1 Nov 1886 with the 16-inch refractor at Warner Observatory. His position and description "vE" is accurate

400/500mm - 17.5" (12/28/94): fairly faint, fairly small, very elongated 3:1 E-W, 1.2'x0.4'. The small, rounder bright core contains a faint stellar nucleus. A wide unequal pair [mag 12/14 at 33" separation] lies 5' NE.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb