William Willis Jr. (1841–1923) is a British inventor who developed the

platinum print Platinum prints, also called ''platinotypes'', are photographic prints made by a monochrome photographic printing, printing process involving platinum. Platinum tones range from warm black, to reddish brown, to expanded mid-tone grays that are ...

ing process, an early form of photography, based on the light sensitivity of platinum salts, originally discovered by

John Herschel Sir John Frederick William Herschel, 1st Baronet (; 7 March 1792 – 11 May 1871) was an English polymath active as a mathematician, astronomer, chemist, inventor, experimental photographer who invented the blueprint and did botanical wor ...

. Willis made the first platinum print in 1873 and patented it, but the process was imperfect, attracting little interest. In 1874, the British Journal of Photography announced his Platinum Printing process. It gave a report of the process on 4 June 1875. By 1879 he had improved the process sufficiently to justify founding the

Platinotype Platinum prints, also called ''platinotypes'', are photographic prints made by a monochrome printing process involving platinum. Platinum tones range from warm black, to reddish brown, to expanded mid-tone grays that are unobtainable in silver ...

Company to market his papers. He began marketing his pre-coated papers in 1880. Taking his cue from

Daguerre Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre ( , ; 18 November 1787 – 10 July 1851) was a French artist and photographer, recognized for his invention of the eponymous daguerreotype process of photography. He became known as one of the fathers of photo ...

's marketing practices with his

Daguerreotypes Daguerreotype (; french: daguerréotype) was the first publicly available photographic process; it was widely used during the 1840s and 1850s. "Daguerreotype" also refers to an image created through this process. Invented by Louis Daguerre an ...

, Willis sold licenses to photographers wanting to use his process, and then sold them the materials. 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.The Bromley Record (newspaper)

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The Planotype
{{DEFAULTSORT:Willis, William Jr. British inventors 1923 deaths 1841 births Photography in the United Kingdom

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