John Herschel discovered NGC 4712 = h1442 on 28 Mar 1832 and noted "vF; pL." His position matches UGC 7977 = PGC 43368.

On 9 Mar 1850, George Stoney or LdR logged NGC 4725 as "another spiral. Another neb 15' p." The other nebula is NGC 4712, though it was assumed to be new and received the designation GC 3241 (LdR nova). Dreyer combined the two GC designations in the NGC. R.J. Mitchell sketched the galaxy on 17 Feb 1855 (included in LdR's 1861 monograph).

300/350mm - 13.1" (5/26/84): faint, diffuse, very elongated ~N-S, even surface brightness. Located 11.9' WSW of NGC 4725.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb