diff --git a/SWIG/Lib/python/pyclasses.swg b/SWIG/Lib/python/pyclasses.swg
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cf6d9ddb7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/SWIG/Lib/python/pyclasses.swg
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+
+/*
+  PyObject_ptr is used as a replacement of PyObject *, where
+  the INCREF/DECREF are applied as needed.
+
+  You can use PyObject_ptr in a container, such as
+  
+     std::vector<PyObject_ptr>;
+
+  or as a member variable:
+  
+     struct A {
+       PyObject_ptr obj;
+       A(PyObject *o) : _obj(o) {
+       }
+     };
+
+   or as a input/output value 
+
+     PyObject_ptr func(PyObject_ptr obj) {     
+       PyObject_ptr out = PyString_FromFormat("hello %s", PyObject_AsString(obj));
+       Py_DECREF(out);
+       return out;
+     }
+
+   just remember to pair the object creation with the proper DECREF,
+   the same as with plain PyObject *ptr, since PyObject_ptr always add
+   one reference at construction.
+
+   PyObject_ptr is 'visible' at the wrapped side, so you can do:
+
+
+      %template(pyvector) std::vector<swig::PyObject_ptr>;
+
+   and all the proper typemaps will be used.
+   
+*/
+
+namespace swig {
+  %ignore PyObject_ptr;
+  struct PyObject_ptr {};
+  %apply PyObject * {PyObject_ptr};
+  %apply PyObject * const& {PyObject_ptr const&};
+}
+
+%{
+namespace swig {
+  class PyObject_ptr {
+  protected:
+    PyObject *_obj;
+
+  public:
+    PyObject_ptr() :_obj(0)
+    {
+    }
+
+    PyObject_ptr(const PyObject_ptr& item) : _obj(item._obj)
+    {
+      Py_XINCREF(_obj);      
+    }
+    
+    PyObject_ptr(PyObject *obj, bool initial_ref = true) :_obj(obj)
+    {
+      if (initial_ref) Py_XINCREF(_obj);
+    }
+    
+    PyObject_ptr & operator=(const PyObject_ptr& item) 
+    {
+      Py_XINCREF(item._obj);
+      Py_XDECREF(_obj);
+      _obj = item._obj;
+      return *this;      
+    }
+    
+    ~PyObject_ptr() 
+    {
+      Py_XDECREF(_obj);
+    }
+    
+    operator PyObject *() const
+    {
+      return _obj;
+    }
+
+    PyObject *operator->() const
+    {
+      return _obj;
+    }
+  };
+}
+%}
+
+/*
+  PyObject_var is used to manage 'in the scope' PyObject * variables,
+  as in
+
+  int func () {
+    PyObject_var obj = PyString_FromString("hello");
+  }
+
+  ie, 'obj' is created and destructed in the same scope from
+  a python object that carries at least one reference value.
+  
+  PyObject_var just take care of applying the proper Py_DECREF.
+
+  Hence, this class is purely internal and not visible at the wrapped side.
+ */
+%{
+  namespace swig {
+    struct PyObject_var : PyObject_ptr {
+      PyObject_var(PyObject* obj = 0) : PyObject_ptr(obj, false) { }
+      
+      PyObject_var & operator = (PyObject* obj)
+      {
+	Py_XDECREF(_obj);
+	_obj = obj;
+	return *this;      
+      }
+    };
+  }
+%}
+
+
+
+
+
+#endif
diff --git a/SWIG/Lib/python/pycontainer.swg b/SWIG/Lib/python/pycontainer.swg
index e1e64598a..9008d7538 100644
--- a/SWIG/Lib/python/pycontainer.swg
+++ b/SWIG/Lib/python/pycontainer.swg
@@ -24,76 +24,17 @@
 
 %include std_except.i
 
-
-
-namespace swig {
-  %ignore PyItem;
-  struct PyItem {};
-  %apply PyObject * {PyItem};
-  %apply PyObject * const& {PyItem const&};
-}
-
-%{
-namespace swig {
-  class PyItem {
-    PyObject *_obj;
-  public:
-    PyItem() :_obj(0)
-    {
-    }
-
-    PyItem(const PyItem& item) : _obj(item._obj)
-    {
-      Py_XINCREF(_obj);      
-    }
-    
-    PyItem(PyObject *obj) :_obj(obj)
-    {
-      Py_XINCREF(_obj);
-    }
-    
-    PyItem & operator=(PyObject *obj) {
-      Py_XINCREF(obj);      
-      Py_XDECREF(_obj);
-      _obj = obj;
-      return *this;
-    } 
-
-    PyItem & operator=(const PyItem& item) {
-      this->operator=(static_cast<PyObject *>(item));
-      return *this;      
-    }
-    
-    ~PyItem() 
-    {
-      if (_obj) Py_DECREF(_obj);
-    }
-    
-    operator PyObject *() const
-    {
-      return _obj;
-    }
-
-    PyObject *operator->() const
-    {
-      return _obj;
-    }
-    
-  };
-}
-%}
-
   
 
-%fragment(SWIG_Traits_frag(swig::PyItem),"header",fragment="StdTraits") {
+%fragment(SWIG_Traits_frag(swig::PyObject_ptr),"header",fragment="StdTraits") {
 namespace swig {
-  template <>  struct traits<PyItem > {
+  template <>  struct traits<PyObject_ptr > {
     typedef value_category category;
-    static const char* type_name() { return  "PyItem"; }
+    static const char* type_name() { return  "PyObject_ptr"; }
   };
   
-  template <>  struct traits_from<PyItem> {
-    typedef PyItem value_type;
+  template <>  struct traits_from<PyObject_ptr> {
+    typedef PyObject_ptr value_type;
     static PyObject *from(const value_type& val) {
       PyObject *obj = static_cast<PyObject *>(val);
       Py_XINCREF(obj);
@@ -102,14 +43,14 @@ namespace swig {
   };
   
   template <> 
-  struct traits_check<PyItem, value_category> {
+  struct traits_check<PyObject_ptr, value_category> {
     static bool check(PyObject *) {
       return true;
     }
   };
   
-  template <>  struct traits_asval<PyItem > {   
-    typedef PyItem value_type;
+  template <>  struct traits_asval<PyObject_ptr > {   
+    typedef PyObject_ptr value_type;
     static int asval(PyObject *obj, value_type *val) {
       if (val) *val = obj;
       return SWIG_OK;
@@ -132,10 +73,10 @@ namespace std {
   };
 
   template <>
-  struct less <swig::PyItem>: public binary_function<swig::PyItem, swig::PyItem, bool>
+  struct less <swig::PyObject_ptr>: public binary_function<swig::PyObject_ptr, swig::PyObject_ptr, bool>
   {
     bool
-    operator()(const swig::PyItem& v, const swig::PyItem& w) const
+    operator()(const swig::PyObject_ptr& v, const swig::PyObject_ptr& w) const
     { return PyObject_Compare(v, w) < 0; }
   };
 }
@@ -297,7 +238,7 @@ namespace swig {
     struct PySequence_OutputIterator
     {
     private:
-      PyItem _seq;
+      PyObject_ptr _seq;
 
     protected:
       PySequence_OutputIterator(PyObject *seq) : _seq(seq)
@@ -380,8 +321,7 @@ namespace swig {
 
 %fragment("PySequence_Cont","header",
 	  fragment="StdTraits",
-	  fragment="PySequence_Base",
-	  fragment="PyObject_var")
+	  fragment="PySequence_Base")
 {
 #include <iterator>
   
@@ -875,7 +815,7 @@ namespace swig
 //
 
 %fragment("StdSequenceTraits","header",
-	  fragment="StdTraits",fragment="PyObject_var",
+	  fragment="StdTraits",
 	  fragment="PySequence_Cont")
 {
   namespace swig {
diff --git a/SWIG/Lib/python/pystdcommon.swg b/SWIG/Lib/python/pystdcommon.swg
index 8f23c2685..b56249791 100644
--- a/SWIG/Lib/python/pystdcommon.swg
+++ b/SWIG/Lib/python/pystdcommon.swg
@@ -1,16 +1,3 @@
-%fragment("PyObject_var","header") 
-{
-  namespace swig {
-    struct PyObject_var {
-      PyObject* ptr;
-      PyObject_var(PyObject* obj = 0) : ptr(obj) { }      
-      ~PyObject_var() { if (ptr) Py_DECREF(ptr); }      
-      operator PyObject*() { return ptr; }
-      PyObject* operator->() const { return ptr; }
-    };
-  }
-}
-
 %fragment("StdTraits","header",fragment="StdTraitsCommon")
 {
 namespace swig {  
diff --git a/SWIG/Lib/python/python.swg b/SWIG/Lib/python/python.swg
index 3b22579f6..052bd0696 100644
--- a/SWIG/Lib/python/python.swg
+++ b/SWIG/Lib/python/python.swg
@@ -44,9 +44,15 @@
  * ------------------------------------------------------------ */
 %include <pydocs.swg>
 
+/* ------------------------------------------------------------
+ * The Python classes, for C++
+ * ------------------------------------------------------------ */
+%include <pyclasses.swg>
+
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------
  * The Python initialization function 
  * ------------------------------------------------------------ */
 %include <pyinit.swg>
 
 
+
diff --git a/SWIG/Lib/python/std_pair.i b/SWIG/Lib/python/std_pair.i
index aab386533..af159ff31 100644
--- a/SWIG/Lib/python/std_pair.i
+++ b/SWIG/Lib/python/std_pair.i
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@
 */
 %include <pycontainer.swg>
 
-%fragment("StdPairTraits","header",
-	  fragment="StdTraits",fragment="PyObject_var") {
+%fragment("StdPairTraits","header",fragment="StdTraits") {
   namespace swig {
     template <class T, class U >
     struct traits_asptr<std::pair<T,U> >  {