Francis Leavenworth discovered NGC 734 = LM 1-41 on 9 Nov 1885 with the 26" refractor at Leander McCormick Observatory and reported "mag 14.0, vS, R, bMN, *11 p[recedes] 11 sec." His rough position (nearest minute of RA) happens to be just 3' N of PGC 7121, and this galaxy is identified as NGC 734 in the RNGC and PGC. The 11th mag star in the description (also shown on his discovery sketch) might refer to a star situated 4.3' WNW (the difference in RA is 17 sec), though a brighter star even closer (3.2' SSE) is not shown on the sketch. I proposed to Corwin and Wolfgang Steinicke that a better candidate for NGC 734 is 2MASX J01532872-1659442 = PGC 170023. This galaxy is brighter than PGC 7121 and has a star 13 tsec due west. PGC 170023 is further off in RA from Leavenworth's position than PGC 7121 but is a better match in declination, typical of the Leander McCormick positions. Corwin agrees with my identification and is now incorporated in NED, but not HyperLeda.

600/800mm - 24" (10/3/13): faint to fairly faint, small, round, 18" diameter, low even surface brightness. Can hold continuously at 375x. Located 10' SE of mag 5.8 HD 11522. PGC 7121, identified as NGC 734 in the RNGC and PGC, is located 22' ESE. PGC 7121 appeared extremely faint, small, slightly elongated, 15"x12", required averted vision.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb