Wilhelm Dunker was the foremost expert on the systematics of the bivalve family Pteriidae (referred to as genus Avicula in his time) in the nineteenth century. His work on the group culminated in the monograph Die Gattung Avicula, a part of the significant conchological iconography, Systematisches Conchylien-Cabinet (Küster et al., 1837–1920). Dunker's volume remains unsurpassed in the taxonomic scope and the quality of illustrations. However, despite the fact that Die Gattung Avicula was readily available and widely cited, few specialists consulted the actual type material from the Dunker collection, which fell into oblivion for over a century. In this work, we attempted to reconstruct the contents and the history of Dunker's collection of pteriid bivalves, the specimens of which derive from two principal repositories, the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin and the Aquazoo-Löbbecke Museum in Düsseldorf. In addition to the annotated catalog of type and figured specimens, many of which are here recognized for the first time, this contribution gives an account of Dunker's life and science, and provides an overview of pertinent contemporary shell collections.