The ORIVIT trademark was registered in 1898 by Ferdinand Hubert Schmitz (* October 31, 1863 in Minden, † May 15, 1939 in Bonn), who in 1894 took over the "Rheinische Bronze- und Metallwarenfabrik Johann Heinrich Welke" in Bedburg, which had been renamed several times.

The first products were presented at the Christmas exhibition in Munich's Kunstgewerbemuseum, followed by participation in the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900, where the company won a gold medal. It received further awards in 1902 at the Düsseldorf Industrial and Commercial Exhibition and in 1904 at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.

In 1903 a new factory was built in Cologne-Ehrenfeld. After Orivit AG was taken over by the Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik, Heinrich Alle, who was supported in one position by Georg Friedrich Schmitt from 1906, took over the management in 1905. At the same time, the arts and crafts metal goods factory "Orion" was transferred to Orivit AG. During the First World War, arts and crafts production was discontinued and resumed in 1918 until operations were completely shut down in 1926.