single cup/saucer/plate sells for $40 while the whole set sells for say $60 because the seller of cup is looking for a customer looking for a replacement,complete a sentimental set. you got the point re undesirability of old dinner sets-they can't go thru a dishwasher and are often fragile,easily chipped or broken.
No dinner set can really be classified as Collectible.Cup/Saucers can be sometimes because they make up crazy tea sets for ladies afternoon tea parties and it's said old china brews a better cup of tea. thing is old cups are small compared to mugs and thus have an even more practical disadvantage.
there's a lot of hooey about china collecting being based on 'antique' quality.recently all over floral china was getting very high prices[$200/cup/saucer/plate] but it was specific brand and specific pattern of a china set that used to be sold for 6pence in Woolworths post WW2.
So even Doulton and any English top brand dinner set is a bit of a dud.1920's/30's noritake and post war even 70's Scandanavia of modern design is more the go.
