Ormond Stone discovered NGC 1215 = LM 1-95 = Sw. V-50, along with NGC 1214 and 1216, in 1886 using the 26" refractor at the Leander McCormick Observatory. Stone reported, "mag 15.5, 0.4', dif." He added the note, "2nd of 3 [with NGC 1214 and 1216]." His declination is 2' too far south, incorrectly placing NGC 1215 1' south of NGC 1216, instead of 1' N.

Lewis Swift also found this galaxy on 21 Oct 1886. He described it as "eF; vS; R; 647 [= NGC 1208] nr; 2nd of 2 [with NGC 1214]." Frank Muller noted the prior discovery in a Sidereal Messenger article (Feb 1887), though he assumed Swift found NGC 1216. The Leander McCormick discovery list was submitted to the Astronomical Journal on 12 Oct 1886, so Stone made the earlier discovery.

400/500mm - 17.5" (10/20/90): faint, small, elongated 2:1 SW-NE, well defined small bright core, faint extensions. Member of the NGC 1208 group and HCG 23 with NGC 1214 4' NW and NGC 1216 2' SE.

600/800mm - 24" (12/6/18): at 375x; fairly faint, moderately large, elongated 4:3 ~N-S, ~0.8'x0.6', small brighter core region that brightens towards the center. low surface brightness halo. Sandwiched between edge-ons NGC 1214 4.5' NW and NGC 1216 2.5' ESE.

900/1200mm - 48" (10/30/16): at 375x and 488x; fairly bright, fairly large, sharply concentrated with a very bright elongated core SSW-NNE that increases to a stellar nucleus. Surrounded by a fairly large, low surface brightness oval halo ~1.2'x0.9'. Forms a close pair with MCG -02-08-054 = HCG 23E just under 1' NNE. It appeared faint or fairly faint, small, very elongated 3:1 NNW-SSE, ~20"x8".

Notes by Steve Gottlieb