Do you know anything about this sword?

 

Overall length is about 26", blade length about 18.5" and the weight is 1 lb. 13.5 oz.

It has a wood handle with a cross guard and pommel of yellow metal (brass? bronze?) with a face carved into the end of the handle.

There is something engraved or scratched into the cross guard, but I can't make it out at all...

A view of the face of the handle and the pommel...

There is some writing on the old blade, someone wrote on it using what looks like a series of small dots. It looks like it says 'Al Berttro' or 'H. Berttro' or something. The 2nd word might also be 'Benttro' or 'Benttrio' and from the wording it trails off and forms a tree or branch with leaves or something closer to the end of the blade.

Any clues where it is from, how old it is, what it was for, etc.? Thanks!