diff --git a/pandas/core/indexes/base.py b/pandas/core/indexes/base.py
index f79288c167356..145d116261a82 100644
--- a/pandas/core/indexes/base.py
+++ b/pandas/core/indexes/base.py
@@ -57,17 +57,11 @@
 import pandas.core.missing as missing
 import pandas.core.algorithms as algos
 import pandas.core.sorting as sorting
-from pandas.io.formats.printing import pprint_thing
+from pandas.io.formats.printing import (
+    pprint_thing, default_pprint, format_object_summary, format_object_attrs)
 from pandas.core.ops import make_invalid_op
-from pandas.core.config import get_option
 from pandas.core.strings import StringMethods
 
-
-# simplify
-default_pprint = lambda x, max_seq_items=None: \
-    pprint_thing(x, escape_chars=('\t', '\r', '\n'), quote_strings=True,
-                 max_seq_items=max_seq_items)
-
 __all__ = ['Index']
 
 _unsortable_types = frozenset(('mixed', 'mixed-integer'))
@@ -1034,7 +1028,7 @@ def _format_space(self):
     @property
     def _formatter_func(self):
         """
-        Return the formatted data as a unicode string
+        Return the formatter function
         """
         return default_pprint
 
@@ -1042,125 +1036,20 @@ def _format_data(self, name=None):
         """
         Return the formatted data as a unicode string
         """
-        from pandas.io.formats.console import get_console_size
-        from pandas.io.formats.format import _get_adjustment
-        display_width, _ = get_console_size()
-        if display_width is None:
-            display_width = get_option('display.width') or 80
-        if name is None:
-            name = self.__class__.__name__
-
-        space1 = "\n%s" % (' ' * (len(name) + 1))
-        space2 = "\n%s" % (' ' * (len(name) + 2))
-
-        n = len(self)
-        sep = ','
-        max_seq_items = get_option('display.max_seq_items') or n
-        formatter = self._formatter_func
 
         # do we want to justify (only do so for non-objects)
         is_justify = not (self.inferred_type in ('string', 'unicode') or
                           (self.inferred_type == 'categorical' and
                            is_object_dtype(self.categories)))
 
-        # are we a truncated display
-        is_truncated = n > max_seq_items
-
-        # adj can optionally handle unicode eastern asian width
-        adj = _get_adjustment()
-
-        def _extend_line(s, line, value, display_width, next_line_prefix):
-
-            if (adj.len(line.rstrip()) + adj.len(value.rstrip()) >=
-                    display_width):
-                s += line.rstrip()
-                line = next_line_prefix
-            line += value
-            return s, line
-
-        def best_len(values):
-            if values:
-                return max(adj.len(x) for x in values)
-            else:
-                return 0
-
-        if n == 0:
-            summary = '[], '
-        elif n == 1:
-            first = formatter(self[0])
-            summary = '[%s], ' % first
-        elif n == 2:
-            first = formatter(self[0])
-            last = formatter(self[-1])
-            summary = '[%s, %s], ' % (first, last)
-        else:
-
-            if n > max_seq_items:
-                n = min(max_seq_items // 2, 10)
-                head = [formatter(x) for x in self[:n]]
-                tail = [formatter(x) for x in self[-n:]]
-            else:
-                head = []
-                tail = [formatter(x) for x in self]
-
-            # adjust all values to max length if needed
-            if is_justify:
-
-                # however, if we are not truncated and we are only a single
-                # line, then don't justify
-                if (is_truncated or
-                        not (len(', '.join(head)) < display_width and
-                             len(', '.join(tail)) < display_width)):
-                    max_len = max(best_len(head), best_len(tail))
-                    head = [x.rjust(max_len) for x in head]
-                    tail = [x.rjust(max_len) for x in tail]
-
-            summary = ""
-            line = space2
-
-            for i in range(len(head)):
-                word = head[i] + sep + ' '
-                summary, line = _extend_line(summary, line, word,
-                                             display_width, space2)
-
-            if is_truncated:
-                # remove trailing space of last line
-                summary += line.rstrip() + space2 + '...'
-                line = space2
-
-            for i in range(len(tail) - 1):
-                word = tail[i] + sep + ' '
-                summary, line = _extend_line(summary, line, word,
-                                             display_width, space2)
-
-            # last value: no sep added + 1 space of width used for trailing ','
-            summary, line = _extend_line(summary, line, tail[-1],
-                                         display_width - 2, space2)
-            summary += line
-            summary += '],'
-
-            if len(summary) > (display_width):
-                summary += space1
-            else:  # one row
-                summary += ' '
-
-            # remove initial space
-            summary = '[' + summary[len(space2):]
-
-        return summary
+        return format_object_summary(self, self._formatter_func,
+                                     is_justify=is_justify, name=name)
 
     def _format_attrs(self):
         """
         Return a list of tuples of the (attr,formatted_value)
         """
-        attrs = []
-        attrs.append(('dtype', "'%s'" % self.dtype))
-        if self.name is not None:
-            attrs.append(('name', default_pprint(self.name)))
-        max_seq_items = get_option('display.max_seq_items') or len(self)
-        if len(self) > max_seq_items:
-            attrs.append(('length', len(self)))
-        return attrs
+        return format_object_attrs(self)
 
     def to_series(self, index=None, name=None):
         """
diff --git a/pandas/io/formats/printing.py b/pandas/io/formats/printing.py
index a101113da23ba..e22d7bce42841 100644
--- a/pandas/io/formats/printing.py
+++ b/pandas/io/formats/printing.py
@@ -261,3 +261,157 @@ class TableSchemaFormatter(BaseFormatter):
         # unregister tableschema mime-type
         if mimetype in formatters:
             formatters[mimetype].enabled = False
+
+
+default_pprint = lambda x, max_seq_items=None: \
+    pprint_thing(x, escape_chars=('\t', '\r', '\n'), quote_strings=True,
+                 max_seq_items=max_seq_items)
+
+
+def format_object_summary(obj, formatter, is_justify=True, name=None):
+    """
+    Return the formatted obj as a unicode string
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    obj : object
+        must be iterable and support __getitem__
+    formatter : callable
+        string formatter for an element
+    is_justify : boolean
+        should justify the display
+    name : name, optiona
+        defaults to the class name of the obj
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    summary string
+
+    """
+    from pandas.io.formats.console import get_console_size
+    from pandas.io.formats.format import _get_adjustment
+
+    display_width, _ = get_console_size()
+    if display_width is None:
+        display_width = get_option('display.width') or 80
+    if name is None:
+        name = obj.__class__.__name__
+
+    space1 = "\n%s" % (' ' * (len(name) + 1))
+    space2 = "\n%s" % (' ' * (len(name) + 2))
+
+    n = len(obj)
+    sep = ','
+    max_seq_items = get_option('display.max_seq_items') or n
+
+    # are we a truncated display
+    is_truncated = n > max_seq_items
+
+    # adj can optionally handle unicode eastern asian width
+    adj = _get_adjustment()
+
+    def _extend_line(s, line, value, display_width, next_line_prefix):
+
+        if (adj.len(line.rstrip()) + adj.len(value.rstrip()) >=
+                display_width):
+            s += line.rstrip()
+            line = next_line_prefix
+        line += value
+        return s, line
+
+    def best_len(values):
+        if values:
+            return max(adj.len(x) for x in values)
+        else:
+            return 0
+
+    if n == 0:
+        summary = '[], '
+    elif n == 1:
+        first = formatter(obj[0])
+        summary = '[%s], ' % first
+    elif n == 2:
+        first = formatter(obj[0])
+        last = formatter(obj[-1])
+        summary = '[%s, %s], ' % (first, last)
+    else:
+
+        if n > max_seq_items:
+            n = min(max_seq_items // 2, 10)
+            head = [formatter(x) for x in obj[:n]]
+            tail = [formatter(x) for x in obj[-n:]]
+        else:
+            head = []
+            tail = [formatter(x) for x in obj]
+
+        # adjust all values to max length if needed
+        if is_justify:
+
+            # however, if we are not truncated and we are only a single
+            # line, then don't justify
+            if (is_truncated or
+                    not (len(', '.join(head)) < display_width and
+                         len(', '.join(tail)) < display_width)):
+                max_len = max(best_len(head), best_len(tail))
+                head = [x.rjust(max_len) for x in head]
+                tail = [x.rjust(max_len) for x in tail]
+
+        summary = ""
+        line = space2
+
+        for i in range(len(head)):
+            word = head[i] + sep + ' '
+            summary, line = _extend_line(summary, line, word,
+                                         display_width, space2)
+
+        if is_truncated:
+            # remove trailing space of last line
+            summary += line.rstrip() + space2 + '...'
+            line = space2
+
+        for i in range(len(tail) - 1):
+            word = tail[i] + sep + ' '
+            summary, line = _extend_line(summary, line, word,
+                                         display_width, space2)
+
+        # last value: no sep added + 1 space of width used for trailing ','
+        summary, line = _extend_line(summary, line, tail[-1],
+                                     display_width - 2, space2)
+        summary += line
+        summary += '],'
+
+        if len(summary) > (display_width):
+            summary += space1
+        else:  # one row
+            summary += ' '
+
+        # remove initial space
+        summary = '[' + summary[len(space2):]
+
+    return summary
+
+
+def format_object_attrs(obj):
+    """
+    Return a list of tuples of the (attr, formatted_value)
+    for common attrs, including dtype, name, length
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    obj : object
+        must be iterable
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    list
+
+    """
+    attrs = []
+    if hasattr(obj, 'dtype'):
+        attrs.append(('dtype', "'{}'".format(obj.dtype)))
+    if getattr(obj, 'name', None) is not None:
+        attrs.append(('name', default_pprint(obj.name)))
+    max_seq_items = get_option('display.max_seq_items') or len(obj)
+    if len(obj) > max_seq_items:
+        attrs.append(('length', len(obj)))
+    return attrs