diff --git a/python/src/pynumbuf/adapters/numpy.cc b/python/src/pynumbuf/adapters/numpy.cc
index fb74db28f..95e90249c 100644
--- a/python/src/pynumbuf/adapters/numpy.cc
+++ b/python/src/pynumbuf/adapters/numpy.cc
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "numpy.h"
+#include "python.h"
 
 #include <sstream>
 
@@ -6,6 +7,11 @@
 
 using namespace arrow;
 
+extern "C" {
+  extern PyObject *numbuf_serialize_callback;
+  extern PyObject *numbuf_deserialize_callback;
+}
+
 namespace numbuf {
 
 #define ARROW_TYPE_TO_NUMPY_CASE(TYPE) \
@@ -52,7 +58,8 @@ Status DeserializeArray(std::shared_ptr<Array> array, int32_t offset, PyObject**
   return Status::OK();
 }
 
-Status SerializeArray(PyArrayObject* array, SequenceBuilder& builder) {
+Status SerializeArray(PyArrayObject* array, SequenceBuilder& builder,
+                      std::vector<PyObject*>& subdicts) {
   size_t ndim = PyArray_NDIM(array);
   int dtype = PyArray_TYPE(array);
   std::vector<int64_t> dims(ndim);
@@ -97,9 +104,21 @@ Status SerializeArray(PyArrayObject* array, SequenceBuilder& builder) {
       RETURN_NOT_OK(builder.AppendTensor(dims, reinterpret_cast<double*>(data)));
       break;
     default:
-      std::stringstream stream;
-      stream << "numpy data type not recognized: " << dtype;
-      return Status::NotImplemented(stream.str());
+      if (!numbuf_serialize_callback) {
+        std::stringstream stream;
+        stream << "numpy data type not recognized: " << dtype;
+        return Status::NotImplemented(stream.str());
+      } else {
+        PyObject* arglist = Py_BuildValue("(O)", array);
+        PyObject* result = PyObject_CallObject(numbuf_serialize_callback, arglist);
+        if (!result) {
+          Py_XDECREF(arglist);
+          return python_error_to_status();
+        }
+        builder.AppendDict(PyDict_Size(result));
+        subdicts.push_back(result);
+        Py_XDECREF(arglist);
+      }
   }
   Py_XDECREF(contiguous);
   return Status::OK();
diff --git a/python/src/pynumbuf/adapters/numpy.h b/python/src/pynumbuf/adapters/numpy.h
index 8b8b3859a..a57e5c974 100644
--- a/python/src/pynumbuf/adapters/numpy.h
+++ b/python/src/pynumbuf/adapters/numpy.h
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 namespace numbuf {
 
-arrow::Status SerializeArray(PyArrayObject* array, SequenceBuilder& builder);
+arrow::Status SerializeArray(PyArrayObject* array, SequenceBuilder& builder, std::vector<PyObject*>& subdicts);
 arrow::Status DeserializeArray(std::shared_ptr<arrow::Array> array, int32_t offset, PyObject** out);
 
 }
diff --git a/python/src/pynumbuf/adapters/python.cc b/python/src/pynumbuf/adapters/python.cc
index 89177e425..3b9b6b2c2 100644
--- a/python/src/pynumbuf/adapters/python.cc
+++ b/python/src/pynumbuf/adapters/python.cc
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ Status append(PyObject* elem, SequenceBuilder& builder,
   } else if (PyArray_IsScalar(elem, Generic)) {
     RETURN_NOT_OK(AppendScalar(elem, builder));
   } else if (PyArray_Check(elem)) {
-    RETURN_NOT_OK(SerializeArray((PyArrayObject*) elem, builder));
+    RETURN_NOT_OK(SerializeArray((PyArrayObject*) elem, builder, subdicts));
   } else if (elem == Py_None) {
     RETURN_NOT_OK(builder.AppendNone());
   } else {
diff --git a/python/src/pynumbuf/adapters/python.h b/python/src/pynumbuf/adapters/python.h
index 1fa07f920..66efa3005 100644
--- a/python/src/pynumbuf/adapters/python.h
+++ b/python/src/pynumbuf/adapters/python.h
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ arrow::Status DeserializeList(std::shared_ptr<arrow::Array> array, int32_t start
 arrow::Status DeserializeTuple(std::shared_ptr<arrow::Array> array, int32_t start_idx, int32_t stop_idx, PyObject** out);
 arrow::Status DeserializeDict(std::shared_ptr<arrow::Array> array, int32_t start_idx, int32_t stop_idx, PyObject** out);
 
+arrow::Status python_error_to_status();
+
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/python/test/runtest.py b/python/test/runtest.py
index f4e161647..c1b7d21e8 100644
--- a/python/test/runtest.py
+++ b/python/test/runtest.py
@@ -48,13 +48,6 @@ class SerializationTests(unittest.TestCase):
     for t in ["int8", "uint8", "int16", "uint16", "int32", "uint32", "float32", "float64"]:
       self.numpyTest(t)
 
-  def testNumpyObject(self):
-    a = np.array([np.zeros((2,2))], dtype=object)
-    try:
-      x = self.roundTripTest([a])
-    except:
-      pass
-
   def testRay(self):
     for obj in TEST_OBJECTS:
       self.roundTripTest([obj])
@@ -90,6 +83,23 @@ class SerializationTests(unittest.TestCase):
     metadata, size, serialized = libnumbuf.serialize_list([bar])
     self.assertEqual(libnumbuf.deserialize_list(serialized)[0].foo.x, 42)
 
+  def testObjectArray(self):
+    x = np.array([1, 2, "hello"], dtype=object)
+    y = np.array([[1, 2], [3, 4]], dtype=object)
+
+    def myserialize(obj):
+      return {"_pytype_": "numpy.array", "data": obj.tolist()}
+
+    def mydeserialize(obj):
+      if obj["_pytype_"] == "numpy.array":
+        return np.array(obj["data"], dtype=object)
+
+    libnumbuf.register_callbacks(myserialize, mydeserialize)
+
+    metadata, size, serialized = libnumbuf.serialize_list([x, y])
+
+    assert_equal(libnumbuf.deserialize_list(serialized), [x, y])
+
   def testBuffer(self):
     for (i, obj) in enumerate(TEST_OBJECTS):
       schema, size, batch = libnumbuf.serialize_list([obj])