Calling all Dutch and Naval Weapon Collectors

[M ELEY]

Very interesting piece, CC! Whereever do you keep finding such things! I'm no scholar of Scandinavian artifacts, but your logic holds true that Dutch pieces imitated the French boarding axes. We've all seen earlier Scand axes/entrebils (spelling?), which this bearded blade resembles. The haft in particular, with its ball-butt seems to indicate that this could be a boarding piece. I have yet to see fireaxes, even old pieces, that kept to the old boarding patterns when it came to the haft. Likewise, bearded axe blades are not typically seen on fire pieces with the exception of some of those fraternal types, of which this axe is not!
Always, the problem with 'later' boarding axes, mid-19th and onwards, in regards to 'private purchase' for merchant/privateer use, is the absolute abandonment of specific patterns. This is why there are so many confusing pieces that might be naval axes, might be fire axes, or very well were both!
I would try and research this piece, perhaps starting from the 'fire axe' opinion first to rule it out. Fire pattern axes would be better documented and cling more to specific patterns (Brit fire axes, for example). If you can rule out fire axe, than only one option remains...