diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 9162048..eb25578 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@
 * Added support for write only properties.
   `#1144 <https://github.com/pybind/pybind11/pull/1144>`_.
 
+* Python type wrappers (``py::handle``, ``py::object``, etc.)
+  now support map Python's number protocol onto C++ arithmetic
+  operators such as ``operator+``, ``operator/=``, etc.
+  `#1511 <https://github.com/pybind/pybind11/pull/1511>`_.
+
 * A number of improvements related to enumerations:
 
    1. The ``enum_`` implementation was rewritten from scratch to reduce
diff --git a/include/pybind11/pybind11.h b/include/pybind11/pybind11.h
index 8e40c9f..26a0334 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/pybind11.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/pybind11.h
@@ -1360,6 +1360,146 @@
     return {std::forward<GetState>(g), std::forward<SetState>(s)};
 }
 
+NAMESPACE_BEGIN(detail)
+struct enum_base {
+    enum_base(handle base, handle parent) : m_base(base), m_parent(parent) { }
+
+    PYBIND11_NOINLINE void init(bool is_arithmetic, bool is_convertible) {
+        m_base.attr("__entries") = dict();
+        auto property = handle((PyObject *) &PyProperty_Type);
+        auto static_property = handle((PyObject *) get_internals().static_property_type);
+
+        m_base.attr("__repr__") = cpp_function(
+            [](handle arg) -> str {
+                handle type = arg.get_type();
+                object type_name = type.attr("__name__");
+                dict entries = type.attr("__entries");
+                for (const auto &kv : entries) {
+                    object other = kv.second[int_(0)];
+                    if (other.equal(arg))
+                        return pybind11::str("{}.{}").format(type_name, kv.first);
+                }
+                return pybind11::str("{}.???").format(type_name);
+            }, is_method(m_base)
+        );
+
+        m_base.attr("name") = property(cpp_function(
+            [](handle arg) -> str {
+                dict entries = arg.get_type().attr("__entries");
+                for (const auto &kv : entries) {
+                    if (handle(kv.second[int_(0)]).equal(arg))
+                        return pybind11::str(kv.first);
+                }
+                return "???";
+            }, is_method(m_base)
+        ));
+
+        m_base.attr("__doc__") = static_property(cpp_function(
+            [](handle arg) -> std::string {
+                std::string docstring;
+                dict entries = arg.attr("__entries");
+                if (((PyTypeObject *) arg.ptr())->tp_doc)
+                    docstring += std::string(((PyTypeObject *) arg.ptr())->tp_doc) + "\n\n";
+                docstring += "Members:";
+                for (const auto &kv : entries) {
+                    auto key = std::string(pybind11::str(kv.first));
+                    auto comment = kv.second[int_(1)];
+                    docstring += "\n\n  " + key;
+                    if (!comment.is_none())
+                        docstring += " : " + (std::string) pybind11::str(comment);
+                }
+                return docstring;
+            }
+        ), none(), none(), "");
+
+        m_base.attr("__members__") = static_property(cpp_function(
+            [](handle arg) -> dict {
+                dict entries = arg.attr("__entries"), m;
+                for (const auto &kv : entries)
+                    m[kv.first] = kv.second[int_(0)];
+                return m;
+            }), none(), none(), ""
+        );
+
+        #define PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_STRICT(op, expr)                                      \
+            m_base.attr(op) = cpp_function(                                            \
+                [](object a, object b) {                                               \
+                    if (!a.get_type().is(b.get_type()))                                \
+                        throw type_error("Expected an enumeration of matching type!"); \
+                    return expr;                                                       \
+                },                                                                     \
+                is_method(m_base))
+
+        #define PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_CONV(op, expr)                                        \
+            m_base.attr(op) = cpp_function(                                            \
+                [](object a_, object b_) {                                             \
+                    int_ a(a_), b(b_);                                                 \
+                    return expr;                                                       \
+                },                                                                     \
+                is_method(m_base))
+
+        if (is_convertible) {
+            PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_CONV("__eq__", !b.is_none() &&  a.equal(b));
+            PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_CONV("__ne__",  b.is_none() || !a.equal(b));
+
+            if (is_arithmetic) {
+                PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_CONV("__lt__",   a <  b);
+                PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_CONV("__gt__",   a >  b);
+                PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_CONV("__le__",   a <= b);
+                PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_CONV("__ge__",   a >= b);
+                PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_CONV("__and__",  a &  b);
+                PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_CONV("__rand__", a &  b);
+                PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_CONV("__or__",   a |  b);
+                PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_CONV("__ror__",  a |  b);
+                PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_CONV("__xor__",  a ^  b);
+                PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_CONV("__rxor__", a ^  b);
+            }
+        } else {
+            PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_STRICT("__eq__",  int_(a).equal(int_(b)));
+            PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_STRICT("__ne__", !int_(a).equal(int_(b)));
+
+            if (is_arithmetic) {
+                PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_STRICT("__lt__", int_(a) <  int_(b));
+                PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_STRICT("__gt__", int_(a) >  int_(b));
+                PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_STRICT("__le__", int_(a) <= int_(b));
+                PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_STRICT("__ge__", int_(a) >= int_(b));
+            }
+        }
+
+        #undef PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_CONV
+        #undef PYBIND11_ENUM_OP_STRICT
+
+        object getstate = cpp_function(
+            [](object arg) { return int_(arg); }, is_method(m_base));
+
+        m_base.attr("__getstate__") = getstate;
+        m_base.attr("__hash__") = getstate;
+    }
+
+    PYBIND11_NOINLINE void value(char const* name_, object value, const char *doc = nullptr) {
+        dict entries = m_base.attr("__entries");
+        str name(name_);
+        if (entries.contains(name)) {
+            std::string type_name = (std::string) str(m_base.attr("__name__"));
+            throw value_error(type_name + ": element \"" + std::string(name_) + "\" already exists!");
+        }
+
+        entries[name] = std::make_pair(value, doc);
+        m_base.attr(name) = value;
+    }
+
+    PYBIND11_NOINLINE void export_values() {
+        dict entries = m_base.attr("__entries");
+        for (const auto &kv : entries)
+            m_parent.attr(kv.first) = kv.second[int_(0)];
+    }
+
+    handle m_base;
+    handle m_parent;
+};
+
+NAMESPACE_END(detail)
+
 /// Binds C++ enumerations and enumeration classes to Python
 template <typename Type> class enum_ : public class_<Type> {
 public:
@@ -1370,109 +1510,33 @@
 
     template <typename... Extra>
     enum_(const handle &scope, const char *name, const Extra&... extra)
-      : class_<Type>(scope, name, extra...), m_entries(), m_parent(scope) {
-
+      : class_<Type>(scope, name, extra...), m_base(*this, scope) {
         constexpr bool is_arithmetic = detail::any_of<std::is_same<arithmetic, Extra>...>::value;
+        constexpr bool is_convertible = std::is_convertible<Type, Scalar>::value;
+        m_base.init(is_arithmetic, is_convertible);
 
-        auto m_entries_ptr = m_entries.inc_ref().ptr();
-        def("__repr__", [name, m_entries_ptr](Type value) -> pybind11::str {
-            for (const auto &kv : reinterpret_borrow<dict>(m_entries_ptr)) {
-                if (pybind11::cast<Type>(kv.second[int_(0)]) == value)
-                    return pybind11::str("{}.{}").format(name, kv.first);
-            }
-            return pybind11::str("{}.???").format(name);
-        });
-        def_property_readonly("name", [m_entries_ptr](Type value) -> pybind11::str {
-            for (const auto &kv : reinterpret_borrow<dict>(m_entries_ptr)) {
-                if (pybind11::cast<Type>(kv.second[int_(0)]) == value)
-                    return pybind11::str(kv.first);
-            }
-            return pybind11::str("???");
-        });
-        def_property_readonly_static("__doc__", [m_entries_ptr](handle self_) {
-            std::string docstring;
-            const char *tp_doc = ((PyTypeObject *) self_.ptr())->tp_doc;
-            if (tp_doc)
-                docstring += std::string(tp_doc) + "\n\n";
-            docstring += "Members:";
-            for (const auto &kv : reinterpret_borrow<dict>(m_entries_ptr)) {
-                auto key = std::string(pybind11::str(kv.first));
-                auto comment = kv.second[int_(1)];
-                docstring += "\n\n  " + key;
-                if (!comment.is_none())
-                    docstring += " : " + (std::string) pybind11::str(comment);
-            }
-            return docstring;
-        });
-        def_property_readonly_static("__members__", [m_entries_ptr](handle /* self_ */) {
-            dict m;
-            for (const auto &kv : reinterpret_borrow<dict>(m_entries_ptr))
-                m[kv.first] = kv.second[int_(0)];
-            return m;
-        }, return_value_policy::copy);
         def(init([](Scalar i) { return static_cast<Type>(i); }));
         def("__int__", [](Type value) { return (Scalar) value; });
         #if PY_MAJOR_VERSION < 3
             def("__long__", [](Type value) { return (Scalar) value; });
         #endif
-        def("__eq__", [](const Type &value, Type *value2) { return value2 && value == *value2; });
-        def("__ne__", [](const Type &value, Type *value2) { return !value2 || value != *value2; });
-        if (is_arithmetic) {
-            def("__lt__", [](const Type &value, Type *value2) { return value2 && value < *value2; });
-            def("__gt__", [](const Type &value, Type *value2) { return value2 && value > *value2; });
-            def("__le__", [](const Type &value, Type *value2) { return value2 && value <= *value2; });
-            def("__ge__", [](const Type &value, Type *value2) { return value2 && value >= *value2; });
-        }
-        if (std::is_convertible<Type, Scalar>::value) {
-            // Don't provide comparison with the underlying type if the enum isn't convertible,
-            // i.e. if Type is a scoped enum, mirroring the C++ behaviour.  (NB: we explicitly
-            // convert Type to Scalar below anyway because this needs to compile).
-            def("__eq__", [](const Type &value, Scalar value2) { return (Scalar) value == value2; });
-            def("__ne__", [](const Type &value, Scalar value2) { return (Scalar) value != value2; });
-            if (is_arithmetic) {
-                def("__lt__", [](const Type &value, Scalar value2) { return (Scalar) value < value2; });
-                def("__gt__", [](const Type &value, Scalar value2) { return (Scalar) value > value2; });
-                def("__le__", [](const Type &value, Scalar value2) { return (Scalar) value <= value2; });
-                def("__ge__", [](const Type &value, Scalar value2) { return (Scalar) value >= value2; });
-                def("__invert__", [](const Type &value) { return ~((Scalar) value); });
-                def("__and__", [](const Type &value, Scalar value2) { return (Scalar) value & value2; });
-                def("__or__", [](const Type &value, Scalar value2) { return (Scalar) value | value2; });
-                def("__xor__", [](const Type &value, Scalar value2) { return (Scalar) value ^ value2; });
-                def("__rand__", [](const Type &value, Scalar value2) { return (Scalar) value & value2; });
-                def("__ror__", [](const Type &value, Scalar value2) { return (Scalar) value | value2; });
-                def("__rxor__", [](const Type &value, Scalar value2) { return (Scalar) value ^ value2; });
-                def("__and__", [](const Type &value, const Type &value2) { return (Scalar) value & (Scalar) value2; });
-                def("__or__", [](const Type &value, const Type &value2) { return (Scalar) value | (Scalar) value2; });
-                def("__xor__", [](const Type &value, const Type &value2) { return (Scalar) value ^ (Scalar) value2; });
-            }
-        }
-        def("__hash__", [](const Type &value) { return (Scalar) value; });
-        // Pickling and unpickling -- needed for use with the 'multiprocessing' module
-        def(pickle([](const Type &value) { return pybind11::make_tuple((Scalar) value); },
-                   [](tuple t) { return static_cast<Type>(t[0].cast<Scalar>()); }));
+        def("__setstate__", [](Type &value, Scalar arg) { value = static_cast<Type>(arg); });
     }
 
     /// Export enumeration entries into the parent scope
     enum_& export_values() {
-        for (const auto &kv : m_entries)
-            m_parent.attr(kv.first) = kv.second[int_(0)];
+        m_base.export_values();
         return *this;
     }
 
     /// Add an enumeration entry
     enum_& value(char const* name, Type value, const char *doc = nullptr) {
-        auto v = pybind11::cast(value, return_value_policy::copy);
-        this->attr(name) = v;
-        auto name_converted = pybind11::str(name);
-        if (m_entries.contains(name_converted))
-            throw value_error("Enum error - element with name: " + std::string(name) + " already exists");
-        m_entries[name_converted] = std::make_pair(v, doc);
+        m_base.value(name, pybind11::cast(value, return_value_policy::copy), doc);
         return *this;
     }
 
 private:
-    dict m_entries;
-    handle m_parent;
+    detail::enum_base m_base;
 };
 
 NAMESPACE_BEGIN(detail)
diff --git a/tests/test_enum.py b/tests/test_enum.py
index a031d95..b1a5089 100644
--- a/tests/test_enum.py
+++ b/tests/test_enum.py
@@ -153,4 +153,4 @@
 def test_duplicate_enum_name():
     with pytest.raises(ValueError) as excinfo:
         m.register_bad_enum()
-    assert str(excinfo.value) == "Enum error - element with name: ONE already exists"
+    assert str(excinfo.value) == 'SimpleEnum: element "ONE" already exists!'
diff --git a/tests/test_pickling.py b/tests/test_pickling.py
index 707d347..5ae05aa 100644
--- a/tests/test_pickling.py
+++ b/tests/test_pickling.py
@@ -34,3 +34,9 @@
     assert p2.value == p.value
     assert p2.extra == p.extra
     assert p2.dynamic == p.dynamic
+
+
+def test_enum_pickle():
+    from pybind11_tests import enums as e
+    data = pickle.dumps(e.EOne, 2)
+    assert e.EOne == pickle.loads(data)