Those who study Victorian and early 20th-century magic often treat it with academic seriousness, speaking in hushed tones about Professor Hoffmann and making reverent quotations from The Sphinx and Sidney Clarke. It is all too tempting to genuflect in front of antique apparatus, but while the author appreciates the Golden and Nickel-plated Ages of Magic as much as anyone, here he sketches an outline of that history from the least reverent source -- Punch magazine.

By Michael Claxton

Take one small town in the wilds of western Oregon. Add a barn that resembles a Las Vegas showroom. Fill it with nearly 350 magic aficionados. Finally, add a show of magic headliners. The result? The gala finale of Stan Kramien's 20th Northwest Magic Jamboree.

While the past nineteen Jamborees have featured one or two top pros, this year's gathering on April 27-28 brought together Stan's greatest array of "names" ever -- all on one show in the middle of nowhere. With the likes of Mac King, David Williamson, John Carney, Mike Caveney, and Tina Lenert also performing their trademark acts, the one-time-only appearance of the "Mr. Mysto Follies " was a spectacle that will never be repeated.

By David Charvet

It's "Magic Week" on The Late Late Show , and Jade has been invited as the lone female magician to participate in Craig Ferguson's salute to sorcery, the result of the comedian/host's change of heart upon seeing the Rick Thomas show at The Orleans in Las Vegas. It's an ideal selection, not only because Jade's magic, her image, and her graceful pantomime are unique in contemporary magic, but because this is her first major network television exposure since she took time off to marry and start a family. With daughter Tessa now five and son Ethan three-and-a-half, Jade feels ready for the stage once again.

By Mark Nelson

Four decades ago a young, handsome, blond magician stood on a Las Vegas stage and spoke to the audience in a foreign accent. Striding around the stage, he and his partner presented grand illusion in a large, circusy, almost bombastic style that had never been seen before. Siegfried & Roy were embraced by audiences, who were wowed by their fresh, original approach to magic.

Four weeks ago a young, handsome, blond magician stood on a Las Vegas stage and spoke to the audience in a foreign accent. Striding around the stage, he presented grand illusion in a large, circusy, almost bombastic style. The question is: will Hans Klok be embraced by audiences with his less fresh, less original approach to magic?

By Rory Johnston

NBC's hit show America's Got Talent is back and magicians are a part of it. Read about who has already competed and who is in the wings. Also, you can catch up on Michael Finney's fund-raising golf tournament and Criss Angels' latest antics, be one of the first to see the facilities being prepared for FISM in Bejing, and find out why Nathan Burton's stunt of being frozen in ice didn't quite turn out the way it was panned. We also spend "A Moment With... The Amazing Johnathan" and, sadly, say goodbye to Bruce Cervon.

Twelve items are covered this month by Gabe Fajuri, Brad Henderson, Peter Duffie, Jason England, and John Lovick, including:

· Signature Sketch Pad Card Rise by Martin Lewis
· Cutting Up Touches by David Avadon
· Decisions by Mozique
· Alexander: The Man Who Knows by David Charvet
· 3D Paradox by Shufton's Magic
· Collard by John Archer
· Kerry Pollock's Kate & Edith
· Ultimate Coin Purse by Rodger Lovins
· Conjunction by Joshua Quinn
· Hauntiques by Christian Chelman

Having spent all of his life in and around show business, and most of it as a performing magician, George Marquis was acquainted with many of the great magicians dating back to the 1920s. He was always outspoken, very opinionated, and his letters never failed to educate as well as entertain. For years he corresponded with David Price, the previous curator of Egyptian Hall Museum. At the time this letter was written, Marquis and The Mistress of ESP were touring the southwestern states with their show, Psychamazia. George provided The Mysteries of Marquis and served as press agent and manager. Finding a few spare moments in Silver City, New Mexico, he cranked a piece of Willa's professional stationery into a portable typewriter and started reminiscing.

This month Joshua Jay explores the magic of Joel Givens. Learn magic with sugar packets, card boxes, coins, and beer bottles. You'll get a taste of Session , Joel's new book that fuses story and magic tricks. You'll also learn a whole new take on Bill Simon's business card prophecy move.

Magicians usually have to be careful not to leave a mess when they perform. But now that it is the summer, we will all be performing more shows outdoors. David Kaye says, let's take advantage of being outside and use tricks that are so messy, they can't be performed indoors. This month, he examines tricks where you leave the stage littered, including a very fun Hydrostatic Glass routine from Gay Ljungberg of Sweden.

You don't have to be an art history major to recognize one of the most famous works of art in history. Leonardo DaVinci's Petruvian Man is universally known as a symbol for the medical and health industries, as well as the model for human proportions for art students the world over. This month's offering, Dimensional Man, is a very straightforward interpretation of the classic artwork.

This thoroughly wonderful French "madman" kicks off his series with an essay on creativity and how you can brainstorm to create your own new tricks.

Pit Hartling offers a trick that starts as a short talk on perception and how magic works. Just when the point is made and understood, the demonstration turns into a bona fide magic effect. In "Flicking Failures," Pit shares two hilarious stories where circumstances presented him with opportunities to perform absolute miracles, and then the fates pulled the rug out from under him.

In 1845, the Portland Vase, considered by many to be the finest example of Roman cameo glass in existence, was deliberately shattered to fragments by a crazed visitor to the British Museum. In 1987, a team of conservators completed the most recent and systematic effort to restore this delicate piece of ancient glasswork to its original appearance. The author visited the British Museum several years ago and saw the result of the 1987 restoration effort. Seeing those fragments united so beautifully reminded him of a question to which he's been trying to piece together an answer:

What makes people want to see a magic show?

The culture we live in encourages us to be more by getting more by spending more. The good doctor has found that the magician who can do the most with the least wins.

"I'm such a loser" was the thought that recently ran through our guest columnist's head recently. "I didn't realize I was a loser until a month ago, when I attended a video taping with a best-selling author, entrepreneur, and multi-millionaire. I went just for fun and sat in the audience of about twenty people while the author spoke on various topics, most of which I was already familiar with from reading his books. I didn't gain any new knowledge, but I did learn something about success that was priceless."