Being an axe collector I have a different opinion. First of all, plenty of axes on ebay are being misrepresented as "boarding" for the sake of better selling and higher final bids (same story with "executioner axe").
To my eye, this axe looks more industrial than hand forged. The shape is not so early, I would say turn of the 20th century - note the thickness of the head, the straight blunt pick and the lack of flaring or a beard. However, there are several minor characters that set this axe away from modern fire axe - the black paint on the haft looks pretty original (typical naval); the small slots at the bottom of the head; the stylized langets. I would say this is an "intermediate axe", in between the true old, sailing age boarding axe to the rather modern personal fire axe.
Private purchase boarding axes did exist but this subject is yet to be studied.
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