Prosperity of the town came to an end during the Swedish invasion of Poland. On April 12, 1657, Swedish and Transylvanian armies met here, and the castle was the temporary residence of George II Rakoczi. United armies of the two powers destroyed most of Lesser Poland, together with Ćmielów. In the 18th century the town belonged to several families (Lubomirski family, Małachowski family, Pusłowski family), and in 1896 - to Prince Aleksander Drucki-Lubecki. Some time in the 18th century Ćmielów emerged as a center of pottery. In 1750, King Augustus III of Poland issued a privilege to local artisans, allowing them to sell their products across the country. The privilege was confirmed in 1768, and either in 1804 or 1809, Count Jacek Małachowski opened here a porcelain factory. Following other towns of northern Lesser Poland, Ćmielów, which after the Partitions of Poland belonged to Russian-controlled Congress Poland lost its town charter in 1869, as a punishment for the January Uprising. In 1915 it received a rail station, along a route from Skarżysko-Kamienna to Sandomierz.