Aziz, I had a look for your serial number (89363) in the A&F records today and I am sorry but it is not there. Since it is a mid-40's gun it is possible that it was brought back from Europe by a serviceman. Francottes sold by A&F are mostly in the 886xx range in 40-41, almost none added to inventory during the war years, and then in the 898xx range in the late 40's when sales picked up again.
Tom, I'll check for 90405 when I next get a chance. Interestingly, one of the pages in the 1945-46 inventory is labeled "Sold to American Officers in 1944 by Francotte". In that list of about a dozen guns are two 16 gauge O/U's for "Gen. Patton". Their serial numbers are in the 213xx range, though. I realize that Patton died in Dec. 1945 but I wonder what happened to that pair of Francottes.
Ken, I have found no earlier VL&D inventories than 1901. Of course, guns that remained unsold one year were carried over to the next year's inventory. It is always possible that a gun received in the late 1890's may not have been sold until 1901.
