Good question Wayne - I was wondering if the term included hangers.
A google search throws up a lot of these, quite a few with markings including Versailles with inspection marks dating it to 1812, Pradier from Paris and Holler and Boker from German states. Dates from around 1800 to 1830.
This confirms what Corrado has already stated.
Most of these are described as French Infantry Briquet. There are only slight variations mostly in length. So definitely not a British cutlass as Jim has already stated.
In the 18/19th century brass was cheaper than steel. Large scale steel production had not yet arrived. Brass was formed and moulded at lower temperatures and was easy to work with. Castings could be made cheaply. The briquet looks to have a grip and guard all in one piece so cheap to manufacture in quantity. A cheap way of arming thousands of infantry or militia.
The disadvantage of brass is it requires to be thicker and therefore heavier to be as strong as the equivalent in steel guards, which does not make for a well balanced sword.
Sometimes private purchase British cutlasses are seen with brass guards and or grips. Ship owners saving pennies rather than just having nice looking cutlasses!
CC
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