Knight Frank LLP is an estate agency, residential and commercial property consultancy founded in London by John Knight, Howard Frank and William Rutley in 1896. Knight Frank together with its American affiliate Cresa is one of the world's largest global property consultancies. Headquartered in London, England, Knight Frank's global network have more than 488 offices across 57 territories and more than 20,000 people handle in excess of US$817 billion (£498 billion) worth of commercial, agricultural and residential real estate annually. History Knight, Frank & Rutley is an earlier name of the firm. Sir Howard George Frank, 1st Baronet was an English estate agent, head of the firms of Knight, Frank & Rutley of London and Walton & Lee of Edinburgh and was president of the Estate Agents' Institute from 1912 to 1914. 1897: The first recorded business property sale is achieved in November, when Knight, Frank & Rutley sells a ‘cycle machinery and plant’ business in Battersea for £270 11s 6d. 1911: The Crystal Palace is sold to Lord Plymouth for £210,000. 1914: Howard Frank, the senior partner, is knighted. 1915: Cecil Chubb buys Stonehenge through Knight, Frank & Rutley for £6,600 as a present for his wife Alice. Mr & Mrs Chubb gave it "to the Nation" three years later. 1921: The town of Reigate is sold by Knight, Frank & Rutley for £203,840 – the first time the firm has disposed of an entire town. 1922: The firm handles the sale of Winston Churchill's house and sells Chartwell to him. 1924: The Duke of Westminster sells Grosvenor House in Park Lane through Knight, Frank & Rutley. 1927: The firm advises on the site assembly for the BBC's headquarters, Broadcasting House in London. 1937: Most of the town of Lytham St Annes in Lancashire is sold – including the celebrated golf course. 1974: Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire, dating back to 1132, is sold for £1 million. 1981: In New York, Douglas Elliman Knight Frank sells Pan-American World Airways Intercontinental Hotels Corporation to Grand Metropolitan for $500 million. 1996: On 1 January, ‘Rutley’ is dropped from the Knight Frank name as part of a plan to expand international market share. 2000: Knight Frank sells the Duke of York's Headquarters in Chelsea, London, on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. 2005: The firm is appointed to advise on the development of the London Olympic Village for the 2012 Summer Olympics. 2006: With