Apparently, Hillary got their 'friends' to loan the silverware, etc. and not gift the stuff to the White House.
Therefore all that nice stuff never got recorded by the white house staff as owned by the american people.
Then the Clinton's removed all the 'loaned' stuff later.
[Most gifts from foreign officials are considered U.S. property, and presidents and their spouses are banned from keeping anything worth $305 or more without paying for it. They are free to keep gifts from constituents, but must list them on financial disclosure forms if they are worth $305 or more.]
http://www.libertylounge.net/forums/4463-rules-gifts-president.html
The Clintons hid, finagled 'amounts' and actually took things that belonged to the White House. They were forced to return certain things.
They did receive a lot from "friends" because the 'poor' Clinton's had never had a home of their own!!