Guinness World Records

Guinness World Records, originally Guinness Book of Records, began in 1955.
 * 1955

27 August 1955
The first edition of The Guinness Book of Records is bound and released in the UK. It became a Christmas best-seller that year.

http://corporate.guinnessworldrecords.com/company-history.aspx

It has since grown to become the de facto "world record" book as recognized by the mainstream world press.

In 1997, Time Magazine named Guinness World Records the "Official arbiter of human longevity."