Mark,
 
When in the field in 1984, my crew found a waterlogged pit feature encased  
in old pond sediment that was chock full of tiny black seeds and cut leather  
scraps. I presumed the tannin from the leather and anaerobic conditions  
preserved the organics. We captured the leather in the sediment and same liquid  
found in the ground in small plastic food containers and placed them in iced  
coolers for transport to a refrigerator. Not having the funds for hiring a  
conservator, we washed off the leather scraps in distilled water (about five  
baths), always returning it to the refrigerator, and eventually put them in  
solutions of distilled water and carbowax. Eventually, we increased the carbowax  (I 
now forget the percentage) and let the conserved items dry. They are hard as  
rock now, but have remained in great condition for all these years. We now 
have  them in ventilated polyethylene bags set in a silica gel container in our  
curation facility set at 60% humidity and 55 degrees. 
 
I imagine shoes would be a composite of metal, wood, and cotton strings.  
Something that complicated should be done by a conservator. But this does not  
mean you could not work out a field plan with that person.
 
Ron May
Legacy 106, Inc.