Cf. B. Rackham, Catalogue of Italian Maiolica, Victorian & Albert Museum, London, 1977, revised edition, cat. no. 1163, illus. plate 187 for a similar example - According to Rackham, such bowls were purportedly made from dust from the walls and water from the Santa Scudella (sacred bowl) at the Santa Casa by and an unidentified factory at Castelli for sale to pilgrims to the Holy House at Loreto. The scene depicted related to the shrine of the Santa Casa, the Virgin Mary's home in Nazareth the Annunciating Angel visited Mary. According to legend, in 1291 when Saracens were driving the Crusaders from the Holy Land, Angels removed the house from Nazareth and brought it to Loreto in the Italian region of the Marches.