Know the top 10 oldest companies of the world

New Delhi: There are a number of companies in the world which are more than two centuries old and still running. Though thousands of old companies have closed down with the passage of time, these companies are still alive and kicking. Here's the list of the top 10 oldest companies of the world which are still in operation: 10. Sotheby's A multinational corporation, Sotheby's was established on 11th March 1744 by Samuel Baker, George Leigh and John Sotheby in London but now it's headquartered in New York. Sotheby's is one of the largest brokers of fine and decorative art, jewelry, real estate, and collectibles in the world. It is the world's largest art business with global sales in 2011 totaling $5.8 billion. Sotheby's operation is divided into three segments: Auction, Finance, and Dealer. 9. Twinings Tea An English marketer of tea, Twinings is based in Andover, Hemisphere. Founded in 1706 by Thomas Twining, Twining has been owned by Associated British Foods since 1964. It holds the world's oldest continually-used company logo, and is London's longest-standing rate-payer, having occupied the same premises on the Strand since 1706. It sells a variety of regional and flavoured teas such as Lapsang Souchong, Lady Grey, and Darjeeling, as well as infusions, coffee, and hot chocolate. 8. Lloyd's of London Lloyd's of London is an insurance market located in London. Founded by Edward Lloyd in 1688, Lloyd's of London serves as a partially mutualised marketplace where multiple financial backers come together to pool and spread risk. Lloyd's of London provides special insurances for almost everything ranging from underwriting many of the world's insurance providers to space satellites. 7. Sveriges Riksbank The central bank of Sweden, Sveriges Riksbank also known as Riksbank, is also the oldest central bank of the world. Established in 1668, Riksbank as it headquarters in Stockholm. During the 19th century, the Riksbank maintained a dominant position as a credit institution and issuer of bank-notes. The bank also managed national trade transactions as well as continuing to provide credit to the general public. In July 2009 Sweden's Riksbank was the first central bank to use a negative interest rate. 6. London Gazette The oldest surviving English newspaper, The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government. It was first published on 7th November 1665 as The Oxford Gazette. Although it is the oldest continuously published newspaper, it does not have a large circulation because it is not a conventional newspaper offering general news covering. 5. Royal Delft Popular for Delftware production, Royal Delft or The Porceleyne Fles was founded in 1653 by David Anthonisz. It is the only remaining factory of the 32 earthenware factories that were established in Delft during the 17th century. At the end of the 19th century when the business of Royal Delft was almost over, Joost Thooft bought the factory with the aim to revive the production of Delft Blue in 1876, and finally they produced a product that obtained worldwide popularity. 4. Fiskars A metal and consumer brands company, Fiskars Corporation was formed by a Dutch merchant named Peter Thorwöste in 1649 at Fiskars Bruk. Fiskars is best known today for its scissors, axes and high-quality knives. Over more than 360 year history, the company has been involved in many endeavors such as farming tools, steam engines and other agricultural tools.3. HaigHaig is a brand of Scotch whisky, originally manufactured by John Haig & Co Ltd.The Haig whisky can claim to be the oldest Scotch whisky distillery for over 300 years. The dimpled bottle became so well known and important to the brand that it was registered as a trademark in the US in 1958 by Julius Lunsford. 2. Grolsch Brewery A Dutch brewery, Grolsch Brewery or simply known as Grolsch, was founded in 115 by Willem Neerfeldt in Groenlo, Netherlands. Whlile Grolsch the second largest brewer in the Netherlands, it is the 21st largest provider of beer in the world, and is available in 70 countries. 1.Beretta Beretta is an Italian firearms manufacturer and the oldest company that is still in operation. Established in 1526, Beretta has been owned by the same family for some five hundred years. The company is primarily known for manufacturing semiautomatic pistols, revolvers, shotguns, rifles, assault rifles, sub-machine guns, machine pistols and launchers. It is also known for manufacturing shooting cloths and accessories.