diff --git a/example/example2.cpp b/example/example2.cpp
index f7972e0..2e20e8b 100644
--- a/example/example2.cpp
+++ b/example/example2.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,14 @@
         return dict;
     }
 
+    /* Create and return a Python set */
+    py::set get_set() {
+        py::set set;
+        set.insert(py::str("key1"));
+        set.insert(py::str("key2"));
+        return set;
+    }
+
     /* Create and return a C++ dictionary */
     std::map<std::string, std::string> get_dict_2() {
         std::map<std::string, std::string> result;
@@ -34,6 +42,14 @@
         return result;
     }
 
+    /* Create and return a C++ set */
+    std::set<std::string> get_set_2() {
+        std::set<std::string> result;
+        result.insert("key1");
+        result.insert("key2");
+        return result;
+    }
+
     /* Create, manipulate, and return a Python list */
     py::list get_list() {
         py::list list;
@@ -62,6 +78,18 @@
             std::cout << "key: " << item.first << ", value=" << item.second << std::endl;
     }
 
+    /* Easily iterate over a setionary using a C++11 range-based for loop */
+    void print_set(py::set set) {
+        for (auto item : set)
+            std::cout << "key: " << item << std::endl;
+    }
+
+    /* STL data types are automatically casted from Python */
+    void print_set_2(const std::set<std::string> &set) {
+        for (auto item : set)
+            std::cout << "key: " << item << std::endl;
+    }
+
     /* Easily iterate over a list using a C++11 range-based for loop */
     void print_list(py::list list) {
         int index = 0;
@@ -105,8 +133,12 @@
         .def("get_dict_2", &Example2::get_dict_2, "Return a C++ dictionary")
         .def("get_list", &Example2::get_list, "Return a Python list")
         .def("get_list_2", &Example2::get_list_2, "Return a C++ list")
+        .def("get_set", &Example2::get_set, "Return a Python set")
+        .def("get_set2", &Example2::get_set, "Return a C++ set")
         .def("print_dict", &Example2::print_dict, "Print entries of a Python dictionary")
         .def("print_dict_2", &Example2::print_dict_2, "Print entries of a C++ dictionary")
+        .def("print_set", &Example2::print_set, "Print entries of a Python set")
+        .def("print_set_2", &Example2::print_set_2, "Print entries of a C++ set")
         .def("print_list", &Example2::print_list, "Print entries of a Python list")
         .def("print_list_2", &Example2::print_list_2, "Print entries of a C++ list")
         .def("pair_passthrough", &Example2::pair_passthrough, "Return a pair in reversed order")
diff --git a/example/example2.py b/example/example2.py
index 2782da5..f42ee49 100755
--- a/example/example2.py
+++ b/example/example2.py
@@ -29,6 +29,14 @@
 dict_result['key2'] = 'value2'
 instance.print_dict_2(dict_result)
 
+set_result = instance.get_set()
+set_result.add(u'key3')
+instance.print_set(set_result)
+
+set_result = instance.get_set2()
+set_result.add(u'key3')
+instance.print_set_2(set_result)
+
 list_result = instance.get_list()
 list_result.append('value2')
 instance.print_list(list_result)
diff --git a/example/example2.ref b/example/example2.ref
index 341fcb2..64d2afa 100644
--- a/example/example2.ref
+++ b/example/example2.ref
@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@
 key: key, value=value
 key: key, value=value
 key: key2, value=value2
+key: key3
+key: key2
+key: key1
+key: key1
+key: key2
+key: key3
 Entry at positon 0: value
 list item 0: overwritten
 list item 1: value2
@@ -44,6 +50,16 @@
  |      
  |      Return a C++ list
  |  
+ |  ggeett__sseett(...)
+ |      Signature : (Example2) -> set
+ |      
+ |      Return a Python set
+ |  
+ |  ggeett__sseett22(...)
+ |      Signature : (Example2) -> set
+ |      
+ |      Return a C++ set
+ |  
  |  ppaaiirr__ppaasssstthhrroouugghh(...)
  |      Signature : (Example2, (bool, str)) -> (str, bool)
  |      
@@ -69,6 +85,16 @@
  |      
  |      Print entries of a C++ list
  |  
+ |  pprriinntt__sseett(...)
+ |      Signature : (Example2, set) -> None
+ |      
+ |      Print entries of a Python set
+ |  
+ |  pprriinntt__sseett__22(...)
+ |      Signature : (Example2, set<str>) -> None
+ |      
+ |      Print entries of a C++ set
+ |  
  |  tthhrrooww__eexxcceeppttiioonn(...)
  |      Signature : (Example2) -> None
  |      
@@ -85,7 +111,7 @@
  |  ____nneeww____ = <built-in method __new__ of Example2_meta object>
  |      T.__new__(S, ...) -> a new object with type S, a subtype of T
  |  
- |  ____ppyybbiinndd____ = <capsule object NULL>
+ |  ____ppyybbiinndd1111____ = <capsule object NULL>
  |  
  |  nneeww__iinnssttaannccee = <built-in method new_instance of PyCapsule object>
  |      Signature : () -> Example2
diff --git a/include/pybind11/cast.h b/include/pybind11/cast.h
index 3832bc1..ac71c9c 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/cast.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/cast.h
@@ -571,6 +571,7 @@
 PYBIND11_TYPE_CASTER_PYTYPE(float_)  PYBIND11_TYPE_CASTER_PYTYPE(int_)
 PYBIND11_TYPE_CASTER_PYTYPE(list)    PYBIND11_TYPE_CASTER_PYTYPE(slice)
 PYBIND11_TYPE_CASTER_PYTYPE(tuple)   PYBIND11_TYPE_CASTER_PYTYPE(function)
+PYBIND11_TYPE_CASTER_PYTYPE(set)     PYBIND11_TYPE_CASTER_PYTYPE(iterator)
 
 NAMESPACE_END(detail)
 
diff --git a/include/pybind11/pytypes.h b/include/pybind11/pytypes.h
index d85de87..3baecf8 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/pytypes.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/pytypes.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 class str;
 class object;
 class dict;
+class iterator;
 namespace detail { class accessor; }
 
 /// Holds a reference to a Python object (no reference counting)
@@ -33,6 +34,8 @@
     void dec_ref() const { Py_XDECREF(m_ptr); }
     int ref_count() const { return (int) Py_REFCNT(m_ptr); }
     handle get_type() { return (PyObject *) Py_TYPE(m_ptr); }
+    inline iterator begin();
+    inline iterator end();
     inline detail::accessor operator[](handle key);
     inline detail::accessor operator[](const char *key);
     inline detail::accessor attr(handle key);
@@ -73,6 +76,23 @@
     }
 };
 
+class iterator : public object {
+public:
+    iterator(PyObject *obj, bool borrowed = false) : object(obj, borrowed) { ++*this; }
+    iterator& operator++() {
+        if (ptr())
+            value = object(PyIter_Next(ptr()), false);
+        return *this;
+    }
+    bool operator==(const iterator &it) const { return *it == **this; }
+    bool operator!=(const iterator &it) const { return *it != **this; }
+    object operator*() { return value; }
+    const object &operator*() const { return value; }
+    bool check() const { return PyIter_Check(ptr()); }
+private:
+    object value;
+};
+
 NAMESPACE_BEGIN(detail)
 class accessor {
 public:
@@ -159,18 +179,6 @@
     size_t index;
 };
 
-class list_iterator {
-public:
-    list_iterator(PyObject *list, ssize_t pos) : list(list), pos(pos) { }
-    list_iterator& operator++() { ++pos; return *this; }
-    object operator*() { return object(PyList_GetItem(list, pos), true); }
-    bool operator==(const list_iterator &it) const { return it.pos == pos; }
-    bool operator!=(const list_iterator &it) const { return it.pos != pos; }
-private:
-    PyObject *list;
-    ssize_t pos;
-};
-
 struct dict_iterator {
 public:
     dict_iterator(PyObject *dict = nullptr, ssize_t pos = -1) : dict(dict), pos(pos) { }
@@ -194,6 +202,8 @@
 inline detail::accessor handle::operator[](const char *key) { return detail::accessor(ptr(), key, false); }
 inline detail::accessor handle::attr(handle key) { return detail::accessor(ptr(), key.ptr(), true); }
 inline detail::accessor handle::attr(const char *key) { return detail::accessor(ptr(), key, true); }
+inline iterator handle::begin() { return iterator(PyObject_GetIter(ptr())); }
+inline iterator handle::end() { return iterator(nullptr); }
 
 #define PYBIND11_OBJECT_CVT(Name, Parent, CheckFun, CvtStmt) \
     Name(const handle &h, bool borrowed) : Parent(h, borrowed) { CvtStmt; } \
@@ -310,6 +320,7 @@
     size_t size() const { return (size_t) PyDict_Size(m_ptr); }
     detail::dict_iterator begin() { return (++detail::dict_iterator(ptr(), 0)); }
     detail::dict_iterator end() { return detail::dict_iterator(); }
+    void clear() { PyDict_Clear(ptr()); }
 };
 
 class list : public object {
@@ -317,12 +328,19 @@
     PYBIND11_OBJECT(list, object, PyList_Check)
     list(size_t size = 0) : object(PyList_New((ssize_t) size), false) { }
     size_t size() const { return (size_t) PyList_Size(m_ptr); }
-    detail::list_iterator begin() { return detail::list_iterator(ptr(), 0); }
-    detail::list_iterator end() { return detail::list_iterator(ptr(), (ssize_t) size()); }
     detail::list_accessor operator[](size_t index) { return detail::list_accessor(ptr(), index); }
     void append(const object &object) { PyList_Append(m_ptr, (PyObject *) object.ptr()); }
 };
 
+class set : public object {
+public:
+    PYBIND11_OBJECT(set, object, PySet_Check)
+    set() : object(PySet_New(nullptr), false) { }
+    size_t size() const { return (size_t) PySet_Size(m_ptr); }
+    void insert(const object &object) { PySet_Add(m_ptr, (PyObject *) object.ptr()); }
+    void clear() { PySet_Clear(ptr()); }
+};
+
 class function : public object {
 public:
     PYBIND11_OBJECT_DEFAULT(function, object, PyFunction_Check)
diff --git a/include/pybind11/stl.h b/include/pybind11/stl.h
index fc4637b..364ad65 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/stl.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/stl.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 #include "pybind11.h"
 #include <map>
+#include <set>
 #include <iostream>
 
 
@@ -22,8 +23,8 @@
 NAMESPACE_BEGIN(pybind11)
 NAMESPACE_BEGIN(detail)
 
-template <typename Value> struct type_caster<std::vector<Value>> {
-    typedef std::vector<Value> type;
+template <typename Value, typename Alloc> struct type_caster<std::vector<Value, Alloc>> {
+    typedef std::vector<Value, Alloc> type;
     typedef type_caster<Value> value_conv;
 public:
     bool load(PyObject *src, bool convert) {
@@ -32,8 +33,8 @@
         size_t size = (size_t) PyList_GET_SIZE(src);
         value.reserve(size);
         value.clear();
+        value_conv conv;
         for (size_t i=0; i<size; ++i) {
-            value_conv conv;
             if (!conv.load(PyList_GetItem(src, (ssize_t) i), convert))
                 return false;
             value.push_back((Value) conv);
@@ -57,9 +58,46 @@
     PYBIND11_TYPE_CASTER(type, detail::descr("list<") + value_conv::name() + detail::descr(">"));
 };
 
-template <typename Key, typename Value> struct type_caster<std::map<Key, Value>> {
+template <typename Value, typename Compare, typename Alloc> struct type_caster<std::set<Value, Compare, Alloc>> {
+    typedef std::set<Value, Compare, Alloc> type;
+    typedef type_caster<Value> value_conv;
 public:
-    typedef std::map<Key, Value>  type;
+    bool load(PyObject *src, bool convert) {
+        pybind11::set s(src, true);
+        if (!s.check())
+            return false;
+        value.clear();
+        value_conv conv;
+        for (const object &o: s) {
+            if (!conv.load((PyObject *) o.ptr(), convert))
+                return false;
+            value.insert((Value) conv);
+        }
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    static PyObject *cast(const type &src, return_value_policy policy, PyObject *parent) {
+        PyObject *set = PySet_New(nullptr);
+        for (auto const &value: src) {
+            PyObject *value_ = value_conv::cast(value, policy, parent);
+            if (!value_) {
+                Py_DECREF(set);
+                return nullptr;
+            }
+            if (PySet_Add(set, value) != 0) {
+                Py_DECREF(value);
+                Py_DECREF(set);
+                return nullptr;
+            }
+        }
+        return set;
+    }
+    PYBIND11_TYPE_CASTER(type, detail::descr("set<") + value_conv::name() + detail::descr(">"));
+};
+
+template <typename Key, typename Value, typename Compare, typename Alloc> struct type_caster<std::map<Key, Value, Compare, Alloc>> {
+public:
+    typedef std::map<Key, Value, Compare, Alloc>  type;
     typedef type_caster<Key>   key_conv;
     typedef type_caster<Value> value_conv;