Exhibit 31.1

CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-14(a) OR 15d-14(a)
OF THE  SECURITIES  EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS ADOPTED  PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF
THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2003

I, Richard  Thalheimer,  Chairman and Chief  Executive  Officer of Sharper Image
Corporation  certify that:

1.   I  have  reviewed  this  annual  report  on  Form  10-K  of  Sharper  Image
     Corporation ("registrant");

2.   Based on my  knowledge,  this  annual  report  does not  contain any untrue
     statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact  necessary to
     make the statements  made, in light of the  circumstances  under which such
     statements  were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by
     this annual report;

3.   Based on my  knowledge,  the  financial  statements,  and  other  financial
     information included in this annual report,  fairly present in all material
     respects the financial  condition,  results of operations and cash flows of
     the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this annual report;

4.   The  registrant's  other  certifying  officer  and  I are  responsible  for
     establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
     in Exchange Act Rules  13a-15(e) and  15d-15(e))  for the registrant and we
     have:

     a)  Designed  such  disclosure  controls  and  procedures,  or caused  such
         disclosure   controls  and   procedures   to  be  designed   under  our
         supervision,  to  ensure  that  material  information  relating  to the
         registrant,  including its consolidated subsidiaries,  is made known to
         us by others within those entities,  particularly  during the period in
         which this annual report is being prepared;

     b)  [paragraph omitted pursuant to SEC Release Nos. 33-8238 and 34-47986]

     c)  Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and
         procedures  and  presented  in this  report our  conclusions  about the
         effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures,  as of the end
         of the period  covered by this annual report based on such  evaluation;
         and

     d)  Disclosed in this annual report any change in the registrant's internal
         control over financial  reporting that occurred during the registrant's
         most  recent  fiscal  quarter  that  has  materially  affected,  or  is
         reasonably  likely to  materially  affect,  the  registrant's  internal
         control over financial reporting; and

5.   The registrant's  other certifying  officer and I have disclosed,  based on
     our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to
     the registrant's  auditors and the audit committee of registrant's board of
     directors (or persons performing the equivalent function):

     a)  All significant  deficiencies and material  weaknesses in the design or
         operation  of  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  which are
         reasonable  likely to  adversely  affect  the  registrant's  ability to
         record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

     b)  Any fraud,  whether or not material,  that involves management or other
         employees  who have a  significant  role in the  registrant's  internal
         control over financial reporting.


Date:    April 15, 2004

By: /s/Richard Thalheimer
    ---------------------
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer