About Don Snyder
Don Snyder was nicknamed “Buzzard” by his son, Tom. The name has stuck with all five of his children.
Although Don Snyder was born in Gary, Indiana, he has lived in Florida most of his life. His crafting ability was passed down from his father who was a carpenter.
He has built several of the houses that he and his family lived in including a two-story home in Brooksville, Florida. However, for the past thirty years or so he has hand-crafted jewelry boxes for a living.
Don began making these boxes around 1974, when his youngest daughter needed a birthday gift for a friend. Obliging her request, he crafted a simple jewelry box with two drawers. Pleased with the results, the inspiration came to Don to work with this unique creation with the idea of starting his own business.
In the beginning Don gathered his own driftwood finding different varieties of wood, including the aromatic Cedar. However, after a prolonged period of time, he had a severe allergic reaction to the dust of Cedar and no longer uses it.
Now at the age of 81 he only goes out occasionally to Florida’s waterways to find Cypress that has aged naturally by nature’s weather and the ocean’s salty water. Shell fish eat their way through the wood giving it intricate holes creating unique patterns. This causes the wood to have a "Pecky" Cypress look.
Over time the first simple box changed into some of the more deluxe and complex pieces he now sells. Although strictly hand crafted and “made in America," his boxes have found its home in other countries such as England, Germany, Canada, and even to Japan.
No two boxes are alike. Each follows its own natural pattern. Several different kinds of wood have been used, creating varied hues and grains. He has used Florida’s Cypress and Camphor as well as California’s beautiful Redwood and Buckeye. In the past he has also used Manzanita, Oak, Pecan, Mesquite, and Aspen.
For many years his venues for selling his wood art have been craft shows. However, as age has naturally slowed him down, he mostly places his boxes along with a few other unique items in consignment shops with only an occasional show throughout the year.
As his father passed talents and abilities to his son, so he has passed on his many talents to his children. Both of his sons have wood crafting abilities and his daughters have varying talents.
