The phrase "would have been" in the sentence you provided is not being used to express the subjunctive mood. Instead, it is used to speculate about a hypothetical past situation.
In this context, the author is suggesting that the unique piece being discussed was likely made by one of the best craftsmen in the Anglo-Saxon world. By using "would have been," the author acknowledges that they are making an inference or assumption about the craftsmanship of the piece based on its uniqueness and quality.
The missing "if" clause in this sentence could be something like:
"If we could trace its origins, we would likely find that this unique piece was made by one of the best craftsmen in the Anglo-Saxon world."
or
"If we had more information, we would probably discover that this unique piece was made by one of the best craftsmen in the Anglo-Saxon world."
By using the conditional "if" clause, the author would be implying that the statement about the craftsmanship being made by one of the best craftsmen is based on a hypothetical scenario or an assumption due to the lack of definitive evidence or knowledge.