William Willis
William Willis Jr. (1841–1923) was a British inventor who developed the platinum printing process, an early form of photography, based on the light sensitivity of platinum salts, originally discovered by John Herschel. The son of British engraver of landscapes, and inventor of the anilin printing, process William Willis.
William Willis
- Born
- 1841
- Died
- 1923
- Nationality
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
- Occupation
- inventor · photographer
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William Willis Jr. (1841–1923) was a British inventor who developed the platinum printing process, an early form of photography, based on the light sensitivity of platinum salts, originally discovered by John Herschel. The son of British engraver of landscapes, and inventor of the anilin printing, process William Willis.
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wikidata · Q8020412
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Biography
Biography
William (jnr.) worked in practical engineering at Tangyes, Birmingham, and at the Birmingham and Midland Bank. Willis made the first platinum print in 1873 and patented it, but the process was imperfect, attracting little interest. It gave a report of the process on 4 June 1875. He began marketing his pre-coated papers in 1880. Taking his cue from Daguerre's marketing practices with his Daguerreotypes, Willis sold licenses to photographers wanting to use his process, and then sold them the materials. In 1881 Willis received the Progress Medal of the London Photographic Society, and the gold medal of the International Inventions Exhibition in 1885. He lived for many years in Bromley (Kent) and took a considerable interest in the nearby local cottage hospital to which he donated land and funds as well as buying their first X-ray machine. He was both Hon. Auditor and a Vice President of the Bromley Camera Club and continued his connection with them even after moving away in 1912.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1841
William Willis born.
1923
William Willis died.
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Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Platinotype
- 2.Willis, William.
- 3.Josef Maria Eder, 'Platinotypes', Eder History Photography, 1905.
- 4.History of the Platinum Print
- 5.Josef Maria Eder, 'Platinotypes', Eder History Photography, 1905.
- 6.The Bromley Record (newspaper)
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Wikidata, structured authority record Q8020412: William WillisWikimedia Foundation
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William Willis is recorded with the occupation inventor. Recorded as inventor and photographer.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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