diff --git a/IPython/core/formatters.py b/IPython/core/formatters.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a40313c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/IPython/core/formatters.py
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+"""Displayhook formatters.
+
+Authors:
+
+* Robert Kern
+"""
+
+import abc
+from cStringIO import StringIO
+
+from IPython.config.configurable import Configurable
+from IPython.external import pretty
+from IPython.utils.traitlets import Bool, Dict, Int, Str
+
+
+class DefaultFormatter(Configurable):
+    """ The default pretty-printer.
+    """
+
+    # The ID of the formatter.
+    id = Str('default')
+
+    # The kind of data returned.
+    format = Str('text')
+
+    # Whether to pretty-print or not.
+    pprint = Bool(True)
+
+    # Whether to be verbose or not.
+    verbose = Bool(False)
+
+    # The maximum width.
+    max_width = Int(79)
+
+    # The newline character.
+    newline = Str('\n')
+
+    # The singleton prettyprinters.
+    # Maps the IDs of the builtin singleton objects to the format functions.
+    singleton_pprinters = Dict()
+    def _singleton_pprinters_default(self):
+        return pretty._singleton_pprinters.copy()
+
+    # The type-specific prettyprinters.
+    # Map type objects to the format functions.
+    type_pprinters = Dict()
+    def _type_pprinters_default(self):
+        return pretty._type_pprinters.copy()
+
+    # The deferred-import type-specific prettyprinters.
+    # Map (modulename, classname) pairs to the format functions.
+    deferred_pprinters = Dict()
+    def _deferred_pprinters_default(self):
+        return pretty._deferred_type_pprinters.copy()
+
+    #### FormatterABC interface ####
+
+    def __call__(self, obj):
+        """ Format the object.
+        """
+        if not self.pprint:
+            r = repr(obj)
+            if r is None:
+                # It can happen.
+                r = ''
+            return r
+        else:
+            stream = StringIO()
+            printer = pretty.RepresentationPrinter(stream, self.verbose,
+                self.max_width, self.newline,
+                singleton_pprinters=self.singleton_pprinters,
+                type_pprinters=self.type_pprinters,
+                deferred_pprinters=self.deferred_pprinters)
+            printer.pretty(obj)
+            printer.flush()
+            return stream.getvalue()
+
+
+    #### DefaultFormatter interface ####
+
+    def for_type(self, typ, func):
+        """
+        Add a pretty printer for a given type.
+        """
+        oldfunc = self.type_pprinters.get(typ, None)
+        if func is not None:
+            # To support easy restoration of old pprinters, we need to ignore
+            # Nones.
+            self.type_pprinters[typ] = func
+        return oldfunc
+
+    def for_type_by_name(self, type_module, type_name, func):
+        """
+        Add a pretty printer for a type specified by the module and name of
+        a type rather than the type object itself.
+        """
+        key = (type_module, type_name)
+        oldfunc = self.deferred_pprinters.get(key, None)
+        if func is not None:
+            # To support easy restoration of old pprinters, we need to ignore
+            # Nones.
+            self.deferred_pprinters[key] = func
+        return oldfunc
+
+
+class FormatterABC(object):
+    """ Abstract base class for Formatters.
+    """
+    __metaclass__ = abc.ABCMeta
+
+    # The ID of the formatter.
+    id = 'abstract'
+
+    # The kind of data returned.
+    format = 'text'
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def __call__(self, obj):
+        """ Return a JSONable representation of the object.
+        """
+        return repr(obj)
+
+FormatterABC.register(DefaultFormatter)
diff --git a/IPython/core/tests/test_formatters.py b/IPython/core/tests/test_formatters.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2a48b5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/IPython/core/tests/test_formatters.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+"""Tests for the Formatters.
+"""
+
+import nose.tools as nt
+
+from IPython.core.formatters import FormatterABC, DefaultFormatter
+
+class A(object):
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return 'A()'
+
+class B(A):
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return 'B()'
+
+def foo_printer(obj, pp, cycle):
+    pp.text('foo')
+
+def test_pretty():
+    f = DefaultFormatter()
+    f.for_type(A, foo_printer)
+    nt.assert_equals(f(A()), 'foo')
+    nt.assert_equals(f(B()), 'foo')
+    f.pprint = False
+    nt.assert_equals(f(A()), 'A()')
+    nt.assert_equals(f(B()), 'B()')
+
+def test_deferred():
+    f = DefaultFormatter()
+