I don't have much of a conservation background, but I can offer my
mother's solution to removing blobs of candle wax. If it was on an
object that was small enough (ie., candlesticks), she would pop them
into the freezer for a few hours. On larger items, she would hold an
ice cube to the wax. In both cases, the cold hardens the wax and
makes it more brittle, making it easier to chip off.
Tim McShane
Parks Canada Curatorial Services
Calgary, Alberta